The Mexican government wants to make sure you know that 'El Chapo' Guzman didn't escape again

Advertisement

Advertisement
El Chapo fake escape story

Abcnews.com.co

This apparently fake story describing 'El Chapo' Guzmán's escape appeared online on Friday.

On Friday, rumors that Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán had escaped from a Mexican prison for the third time began appearing on social media.

According to Mexican news site La Silla Rota, Friday's false report was driven by a false story from February, a month after Guzmán was recaptured, which was reposted (citing the Associated Press) by Abcnews.com.co, a site that appears to be a spoof of ABC News.

The article posted on the Abcnews.com.co site quotes "Fappy The Anti-Masturbation Dolphin," who called Guzmán "brave" for "stopp[ing] all the masturbation at his prison."

It also quotes a "U.S. Marshal" who appears to give post-escape orders inspired by Tommy Lee Jones' character in the Harrison Ford movie "The Fugitive."

A discerning reader would likely notice all the issues with that story and conclude it to be false.

Advertisement

But the Mexican government - twice burned by Guzmán's brazen escapes - apparently didn't want to risk letting reports of Guzmán's supposed breakout spread.

El Chapo Guzman fake escape story prison photo

Twitter/@osoriochong

Mexico's interior minister tweeted this image purporting to show "El Chapo" Guzmán in jail.

On Friday night, Mexico's interior minister, Miguel Osorio Chong, tweeted a photo of Guzmán that appeared to show the kingpin in a bare prison room, seated at a table, as shadowy figures, likely guards, look on in the background.

"For the rumors, an image ..." Chong wrote.

Advertisement

At this time, however, Guzmán remains in a Mexican prison outside of Ciudad Juarez, where he is fighting extradition proceedings that are underway against him.

NOW WATCH: 1 YEAR LATER: Here's what may come next for 'El Chapo' Guzmán