El Chapo – del Castillo texts reveal reciprocal interest

Drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is well known as a “womanizer”.

Texts published in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo hint that the billionaire leader of the Sinaloa Cartel was smitten with the Mexican actress, Kate del Castillo.

In texts from September 2015 the two discuss meeting each other over wine, tequila and champagne.

“I’m not much of a drinker but your presence is going to be something beautiful. I want to get to know you and become very good friends. You are the best in the world,” Guzman texted.

“I will have everything ‘super’ so that you won’t have to worry about any details, which would make you feel bad. Have faith that you will be comfortable. I will take care of you more than my own eyes.”

Castillo reciprocated Guzman’s interest.

“That’s so moving that you say you’ll take care of me — no one has ever told me they would care for me, thank you! I’m free next weekend!” Del Castillo wrote back.

In subsequent texts Del Castillo explained she was working on a “project” with actor Sean Penn.

The eventual meeting between Penn, Castillo and Guzman played a critical role in leading authorities to the fugitive drug trafficker Guzman, who was apprehended last week following a shootout with Mexican Marines.

On Wednesday January 13th Guzman’s lawyer said Penn testified about how he reported the article for Rolling Stone about the meeting.

The lawyer, Juan Pablo Badillo, was particularly skeptical of a quote in the article in which Guzman identifies himself as the world’s largest provider of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. Badillo said he was certain his client would not have said that.

Mexican authorities are also investigating the stunning encounter to see if any crimes were committed.

Government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said late Tuesday that it is the possibility of illegal acts, rather than specific people, that authorities in Mexico are looking into. “We investigate actions, we don’t investigate people,” he said. “The Attorney General’s Office is investigating this event and others involving contacts that Joaquin Guzman had while he was on the run.”

The Mexican government is seeking Guzman’s extradition to the U.S., though that process could take months.

By STEPHEN REX BROWN for the NY Daily News

sbrown@nydailynews.com