What to Watch: Drugs, cartels, bloody betrayal on Netflix
If Sir David Attenborough made a documentary about drug cartels, this would be it.
The Fall of El Mayo on Netflix is a three-part limited series that provides a raw and unfiltered look at the Sinaloan Mexican drug cartel wars. It captures the brutal reality of the cartel's rise and fall from power, revealing the inner workings of one of the world's most powerful criminal organizations.
El Mayo Zambada García, the central figure, played a pivotal role in building the Sinaloa cartel and evading capture for over four decades. Despite his significant influence and wealth, the series highlights how familial rivalries, betrayal, and power struggles ultimately led to the cartel's decline. The narrative showcases the contrasting personas of El Mayo and his infamous partner, Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán, who was known for his extravagant public presence and infamous prison escapes.
The series delves into the complex dynamics within the cartel, emphasizing how loyalty can become a weakness. El Mayo's pacifist views and admiration for Gandhi contrast sharply with the violence and corruption that define the criminal empire. The show also explores the shift in the cartel's operations, from marijuana to cocaine and the introduction of fentanyl, which contributed to the US drug crisis.
Historically, El Mayo was portrayed as a kind and gentle man, who maintained relationships and influence while remaining largely unseen. However, the series also reveals the darker side of his world, with scenes of bloodshed and law enforcement confrontations. The series provides a comprehensive look at the cartel's downfall, culminating in El Mayo's arrest in the United States, which he claimed was the result of an abduction orchestrated by one of El Chapo's sons.
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