'El Chapo' Wants To Sue Netflix For Making A Series About Him

Infamous Mexican drug-lord Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán is reportedly attempting to sue Netflix and Univision for El Chapo, a series which depicted the life of the former cartel leader.

Guzmán's lawyer, José Refugio Rodríguez, claims the series uses his client's name without permission and does 'moral damage' to his name, by adding 'salacious' details to his life. You'd think, of all people, Guzmán's life story wouldn't need any embellishment.

Back in May 2016, when the project was announced, Guzmán 's legal team told Univision and Netflix they would have to pay for the rights to use his name.

Guzmán was extradited to the US earlier this year. Credit: PA

Speaking to Infobae, Rodríguez said: "Our case does not address the issue of royalties, but we are going to exercise some legal action; currently I am waiting for instructions from Joaquin as to how to proceed.

"It is going to be done in the United States because there is greater right to privacy here than in Mexico and there is greater protection of peoples' private lives.

Credit: PA

"The press says that there are also issues of plagiarism at stake because some of the writers stole material.

"We are mainly concerned with the illegal use of Guzmán's image, and the legal implications thereof."

The show premiered in Latin America last weekend, but it was released in the US in April.

Cast and crew of El Chapo at the premier. Credit: PA

Guzmán, who has become a household name after a series of high-profile prison breaks, was extradited to the US in January to face multiple charges.

Meanwhile, Mexico has seen it's 'bloodiest month' in 20 years, as rival gangs compete to fill the space left by Guzmán.

Statistics from the Interior Department said 2,186 people were murdered in May, as homicides rose to their highest levels for two decades.

During the first five months of this year, a total of 9,916 murders have taken place, up 30 percent from last year, the Daily Mail reports.

Alejandro Hope, a Mexican security analysist, said: "Pretty grim. Not shocking, because we've seen this for months, but, yeah, it's really grim."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: el chapo

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19