El Chapo: Where Is He Now, His Sons, New TV Series, and the Latest in 2026
El Chapo — Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera — remains one of the most consequential figures in the history of organized crime. Though locked away in a U.S. supermax prison, his name is back in headlines in 2026 amid Mexico's cartel crisis, a new TV series announcement, and the ongoing saga of his sons and his ex-wife Emma Coronel. Here is everything you need to know about El Chapo right now.
Where Is El Chapo Today?
Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is currently serving a life sentence at the federal supermax prison facility in Florence, Colorado. He was convicted on February 12, 2019, in New York of running an industrial-scale drug smuggling operation, murder, and money laundering. From his maximum-security cell, Guzmán has no access to the cartel empire he once built — but his name and legacy continue to reverberate across Mexico and the United States.
His net worth, once estimated at approximately $1 billion during the peak of his reign, is now effectively zero. U.S. authorities have seized assets, frozen accounts, and sanctioned family members tied to his network.
El Chapo's Legacy Resurfaces After El Mencho's Death
The killing of CJNG cartel leader "El Mencho" this week reignited comparisons to El Chapo's own downfall. Analysts immediately drew parallels between the two cases, warning that just as El Chapo's arrest sparked violent internal power struggles within the Sinaloa Cartel, El Mencho's death could trigger the same chaos within the CJNG.
"When El Chapo was arrested, it eventually sparked a civil war between the different Sinaloa factions," Al Jazeera's John Holman noted from Mexico City, warning the same dynamic could unfold with the leaderless CJNG. The Sinaloa Cartel has already been weakened by internal power struggles following the capture of its leaders, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, both of whom are in U.S. custody.
El Chapo's Sons: Los Chapitos and the Sinaloa War
El Chapo's criminal bloodline runs deep — and remains one of the most dangerous forces in Mexico today.
| Name | Status |
|---|---|
| Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar ("El Chapito") | At large — co-leads Sinaloa Cartel |
| Joaquín Guzmán López | In U.S. custody — expected to plead guilty |
| Ovidio Guzmán López | Arrested 2023 — in U.S. custody |
Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, also known as "El Chapito," has risen to co-lead the Sinaloa Cartel alongside other family members since his father's arrest in 2016. He is believed to be directing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine shipments into the United States and is one of the most wanted fugitives in both countries. The Guzmán family's faction is engaged in a deadly internal war with the Zambada Sicairos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that has claimed nearly 2,000 lives since 2024.
New El Chapo TV Series Announced — Told From Emma Coronel's Perspective
In major entertainment news breaking today, Rafael Amaya is set to star and executive produce a scripted bilingual series in development about drug kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, told from the perspective of Guzmán's wife Emma Coronel and centered on her life alongside her husband.
Executive producers include Coronel herself, Amaya, and his producing partner Maritza Ramos through Amaya Productions. A search for a series writer is currently underway. Coronel, who served time in U.S. federal prison and has since launched a memoir, will have casting approval — notably because she was displeased with previous portrayals of herself. Guzmán was not a fan of previous portrayals of him, specifically noting other actors' inability to imitate his Sinaloense accent.
El Chapo at ADX Florence: Health and Prison Conditions
El Chapo's legal team has in recent months filed complaints alleging deteriorating health conditions at ADX Florence, the most restrictive prison in the United States. Filings have cited sleep deprivation, lack of natural light, and limited movement. A fellow inmate, convicted mobster James Sabatino, even requested a federal court allow him to spend time with Guzmán, citing the drug lord's alleged descent toward mental deterioration in isolation.
El Chapo's lawyers have repeatedly sought to improve his detention conditions, while U.S. authorities have maintained that the maximum-security restrictions are necessary given his history — which includes two dramatic prison escapes from Mexican facilities before his final capture and extradition to the United States in 2017.
El Chapo: By the Numbers
| Key Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera |
| Born | April 4, 1957, Badiraguato, Sinaloa |
| Peak Net Worth | ~$1 billion |
| Sentence | Life + 30 years, no parole |
| Prison | ADX Florence, Colorado |
| Convicted | February 12, 2019 |
| Cartel Founded | Sinaloa Cartel (co-founder) |
Though El Chapo himself is permanently removed from the criminal landscape, his sons, his legacy, and even his story as told through his ex-wife's eyes ensure that the name Guzmán will remain at the center of the cartel conversation for years to come.
