the wife of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, broke her silence and spoke like never before about her personal life and her relationship with the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel in the new documentary Married to El Chapo: Emma Coronel Speaks. Coronel discusses the complexities of her marriage to one of the world's most notorious criminals and shares surprising details. One of the most shocking revelations in the documentary, which recently premiered on Oxygen, is the story of how she met Guzman when she was just 17 years old. Emma Coronel didn't know who “El Chapo” was. Although many will be surprised to learn this, Coronel confessed that she didn't know who the drug kingpin was at the time. “I didn’t have a TV, I didn’t know who he was,” she said. During a party, someone mentioned that there was an important person there who wanted to dance with her.

That man was Joaquin Guzman, who introduced himself simply as “Joaquin.” That’s how their relationship began. What attracted her to Guzman, who is 32 years her senior, wasn’t his fame or his power, but his presence. Coronel described “El Chapo” as “very handsome, interesting, energetic,” which attracted her to him. Throughout the documentary, the former beauty queen speaks about the personal side of “El Chapo,” acknowledging that, for her, the figure wasn't defined by the crimes he committed, but by the person she met and with whom she shared her life for years. In addition to details about her encounter with “El Chapo,” Coronel recounted her difficult childhood, marked by poverty and deprivation. Born in California but raised in Durango, Mexico, Emma lived in a house without basic services like running water, electricity, and television, which kept her disconnected from the media and public life.The documentary also touches on the media pressure Coronel faced during and after her marriage to “El Chapo.” “I’ve been told that it seems like I have no feelings, that I don’t suffer, that I have no blood in my veins,” she said. To cope with the public exposure and criticism, Coronel explained that she felt the only way to protect herself emotionally was to create a “mask” to face the world. Throughout the documentary, Emma also issued a public apology to the victims of organized crime violence. “I am so sorry.”

This gesture has been interpreted as an attempt by Coronel to distance herself from the consequences of her husband's actions and to show empathy for those who suffer because of drug trafficking and violence. One of the most revealing parts of her account is when Coronel acknowledges that, despite the life she led with Guzman, she cannot say that he is a completely bad person. “I spent a lot of time with him personally, I have good memories of him,” she confessed, clarifying that she cannot speak about what she did not experience or witness directly. This statement has generated controversy, as many consider Emma's involvement in her husband's activities to make her part of his criminal history. Emma Coronel and her life with “El Chapo” The documentary has caused a great stir, as it is the first time Emma Coronel has spoken so openly about her life with “El Chapo” Guzman.

After Guzman's capture and conviction, Coronel was arrested in 2021 in the United States on drug trafficking charges. She was sentenced to three years in prison, although there has been speculation about her possible early release due to her cooperation with authorities.

This documentary also explores how Coronel went from a life of hardship to becoming an international media figure. Over the years, her image as the wife of one of the world's most dangerous drug traffickers has been controversial, and her testimony in this new project seeks to provide a fresh perspective on her life, her emotions, and the choices she made.