MEXICO: Violent Black Comedy Drug Movie... Is A Big Hit... In Drug Country.

GUARDIAN/ With 2:29 Video/ Jo Tuckman/
    A black comedy called "El Infierno" or "Hell" is the story of a well-meaning middle-aged deported migrant's transformation into a drug thug, capable of insane levels of brutality.
   "El Infierno" has been seen by more than 1.5 million people so far despite an adult-only certificate and its 145-minute running time.
    Last week the film performed best of all in a cinema in Culiacán, notorious drug capital of the state of Sinaloa and home to the country's most famous drug thug, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
     Writer and Director Luis Estrada says: "A lot of people seem to think they are watching a documentary. That's why I'm particularly keen to find out how it's viewed in the rest of the world where there isn't so much noise from the reality."
    Estrada also wrote and directed the brilliant 1999 satire "La Ley de Herodes."

MEXICO: Government Rejects Radio Report That It Favors Sinaloa Narcos.

LAHT/       A 4-month probe by NPR's John Burnett that claimed Mexico's government favored the Sinaloa drug gang in its fight against drug mobs has naturally been rejected. Spokesman Luis Estrada disputed the charge saying “This is not true. The federal government combats organized crime nationwide with full determination, and authorities have maintained support for state authorities to reduce the spaces and activities of all criminal gangs. In summary, the federal government has succeeded in weakening the command and operation structure of this cartel, not only in Sinaloa, but in all its networks nationwide,” he said.