'Narcos: Mexico': The real story of Don Neto aka Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and his entry into the Guadalajara cartel
'Narcos: Mexico' brings the gory Mexican drug trade from 1980s to light and season one zeroes in on the band of boys who set up the Guadalajara cartel — Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (Diego Luna), Rafael Caro Quintero (Tenoch Huerta Mejia) and Don Neto aka Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo (Joaquín Cosio). In the first episode, Don Neto can be seen as a snarly middle-aged farmer who joins Felix and Rafa as they head towards Guadalajara.
Later, in one scene, Don Neto helps arrange a meeting with another Mexican drug dealer and becomes a part of their gang. Even though he is skeptical, he does come around and becomes a part of their team. It could be the effect of marijuana since his cocaine problem does call for trouble towards the end of the season. When his 20-year-old son is accidentally shot by his son's best friend, he is shattered. While he forgives the young lad at first, a few minutes later he orders his henchmen to kill the boy. And that's when we see his vile side emerge. After DEA agent Kiki Camarena's torture and murder, he too is arrested along with Rafa in the show.
But, what was his real story? Will we see him in the next season? And how true is his portrayal in the show? Here are the answers to all these questions.
Born in Santiago de los Caballeros, Sinaloa, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo headed the Guadalajara cartel alongside Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero. Known by his alias Don Neto, he was involved with drug trafficking since the 1970s, first in Ecuador after which he moved his operations to Mexico. He is the uncle of former Juarez Cartel leader Amado Carrillo Fuentes, aka 'The Lord of the Skies'. In 1982, he was first identified taking part in a money laundering operation in San Diego after which he fled to Mexico.
The murder of Kiki provoked the Mexican Army to hunt him down. He was found in Puerto Vallarta, where his villa was surrounded, and he surrendered. However, Fonseca never admitted to killing Camarena. Nevertheless, he was found guilty, convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison. In July 2016, he was sent under house arrest owing to declining health.
On March 31, 2017, Don Neto was released on probation and was able to leave his home freely without the need to wear an electronic bracelet. His sentence will come to an end in 2025.