Decision 2016

Marco Rubio Calls Sean Penn’s ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Interview ‘Grotesque’

January 11, 2016 By Paul Gleiser

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio called it “grotesque” that actor Sean Penn interviewed Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman while the Mexican drug kingpin was still-at large and evading authorities.

“If one of these American actors who have benefited from the greatness of this country, who have made money from our free enterprise system, want to go fawn all over a criminal and a drug trafficker in their interviews, they have a Constitutional right to do it,” Rubio said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” “I find it grotesque.”

After Guzman was apprehended by Mexican authorities earlier this week, Rolling Stone published an interview conducted by Penn. The notorious drug dealer reportedly met with the Hollywood star to discuss making a biographical film.

Mexican Drug Lord ‘El Chapo’ Gave Interview to Sean Penn

Rubio said it was a positive if the interview helped lead to the drug kingpin’s capture and that he hopes Guzman, who has escaped from Mexican prisons twice, is extradited to the United States.

“Sean Penn is not someone I spend a lot of time thinking about. I didn’t even know he was still around,” Rubio said. “I guess [the Mexicans] used the interview that he had in order to find him. That’s fantastic. I hope they extradite ‘El Chapo’ to the United States.”

Neither representatives for Penn nor Rolling Stone have responded to requests for comment from ABC News.