El Cartel de los Sapos
| El Cartel de los Sapos | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | El Cartel |
| Genre | Action, drama, Narconovela |
| Written by | Juan Camilo Ferrand Andrés Lopez (original novel) |
| Directed by | Luis Alberto Restrepo |
| Country of origin | Colombia |
| Original language(s) | Spanish |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | Season 1: 57 Season 2: 50 |
| Production | |
| Location(s) |
Colombia United States Mexico |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original release | June 4 – October 21, 2008 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
El Cartel de los Sapos (English title: The Cartel of Snitches) or El Cartel is a Colombian television series that first aired on June 4, 2008 on the Colombian network Caracol TV. El Cartel stars Manolo Cardona, Karen Martínez, Diego Cadavid, and Robinson Díaz and is based on the 2008 novel by the same name by Andrés López López, alias Florecita ("Little Flower"), a former drug dealer who, while in prison, wrote the fictionalized account of his experiences in the Cali Cartel and of what happened within the Norte del Valle Cartel. In the TV series, which Lopez also wrote, the characters and locations from the book were changed.
Two friends enter the illegal drugs business, thinking it is the fastest way to become rich. The illegal drug trafficking world seems attractive to all these middle-class people, who overlook the associated dangers and legal problems.
This choice begins a turbulent and troubled lifestyle that will change their fates forever. Martín, alias "Fresita", gets a job in a drugs lab sponsored by the big boss Óscar Cadena (Fernando Solorzano). Martín learns the business quickly and starts to send illegal drugs to the United States, while his boss makes an alliance with the Villegas Brothers, from the West Cartel, to take down the biggest drug dealer ever: Pablo Escobar.
With Escobar down, a new cartel is up: The Pacific Cartel in Colombia, led by Óscar Cadena, so Óscar (the teacher) and Martín (the student) make a pact of friendship and business.
Martín becomes a rich man and he falls for Sofía (Karen Martinez), a beautiful woman, but he wins her heart by lying to her. But Sofía discovers the origin of Martín's wealth, and he has to choose: Sofía or the business.
Óscar helps the police finish the West Cartel. The snitches (sapos) make war between these criminal machines to the point of breaking.
Oscar has been killed and decided to make Martin as the owner of the cartel. Martín refuses to take part in this war and decides to go to Miami with Sofía and his children, unaware that Miami is no longer a safe place. He continues his illegal activities, meanwhile watching enemies kill his old friends.
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