Contreras 1

Ada Contreras

Professor: Lawson

English 113B

Final Project Text Essay

12 May 2017

Words: 1782

The Power of Stereotypes

How are Latinos stereotypes in society portrayed in television shows? Many Latino

television shows like: Breaking Bad, La Reina del Sur, and Narcos have people wondering

whether the whole Latino community are associated in drug trafficking. The reputation of a

single Hispanic drug dealer Pablo Escobar or Joaquin El Chapo Guzman can mislead many

people in viewing the community as a whole. Stereotypes affect people worldwide through the

act of being in a drug cartel television show on Netflix.

Netflix being the biggest and most known online website, keeps their viewers entertained

with television shows, documentaries and movies. In Latinos in Hollywood: Few Roles,

Frequent Stereotypes, New Study Finds, by NBC news, Brian Latimer, reveals how few Latinos

take part on a film scene. While we all thought Latinos are just bad at acting, Felix anchez, co-

founder of the National Hispanics Foundation for the arts states, When Latinos are represented,

they just play stereotype, (Para 8) Proving that only the media depicts Latinos as characters that

spotlights them as certain characters which in turn makes the audience believe that all Latinos

are like this.

The Netflix television show, Narcos, focuses on the life of Pablo Escobar El Patron del

Mal being one of the biggest drug dealers in Medellin, Colombia, he ruled the majority of
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cocaine that was being shipped to the United States. Narcos focuses on the Colombian society

and Pablos Escobars past more than what Escobar was distributing to help the poor. In a

broadcast, David Narcos Actor Wagner Moura On Shedding the Weight of Pablo Escobar,

demonstrates the power of drug lords and how drug television shows choose Hispanics for that

specific show. People are focused on the part of the notorious drug lord that they leave the social

issues aside, states David, Pablo Escobar is facing off against a group of Colombias FBI who

dont seem to want to play along with his negotiating. Drug lords are associated with other drug

cartels and drug cartels harass others in believing that everything has to be done their way if not

they are in danger of getting killed. For example, gangs in Mexico or Central America are the

reason why immigrants move to the United States, to escape their lives from being used in drug

trafficking. Further spotlighting Latinos as bad people because they solely bring problems

wherever they go.

Stereotypes are taking control on what is being said, as stated above television shows are

using Latinos for shows like Narcos. A Brazilian wanting to play the role of Pablo Escobar, he

states, No. So thats the thing. So I was embarrassed to say that. Im to play Pablo Escobar.

PeoplePeople would be like, theres no way. (broadcast) Here we can see that a Brazilian

playing the role of Pablo is very rare for people. Due to stereotypes, Hispanics play roles that

contradict what they are known as.

As the former Brazilian that plays Pablo Escobar, Pablo Escobars son Sebastian

Marroquin reveals how his dads past actions is coming back to get him. Sebastian is an

architect, but its the last name that gets in his way of business, states John Otis, reporter of

Renouncing Pablo Escobars Sins, His son Trafficks in Motivational Talks. Being the son of

Pablo Escobar is described as having the best time of your life with money, but what difference
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does it make if you cant go out and enjoy the money, so he departed his own way after his

fathers death, Otis states, A distraught Marroquin, who was only 16, decided to forge his own

path. After receiving new identities from the Colombian governmentMarroquin was suddenly

on his own. (broadcast) Marroquin doesnt want his future being torn apart because what his

father, Pablo Escobar was into drug cartels. Its difficult running away from something you dont

want to be a part of anymore, however, its not running away that will help Marroquin in this

situation. For him its very difficult, the stigma. People tell me sometimes, how can you talk to

that guy? But hes traveling around. Hes putting the face. Hes not hiding. So hes a very brave

guy but whos got a very difficult life (broadcast) Even though Narcos is based on a true story

and Pablo Escobar is one of the biggest known drug cartel in the world, stereotypes have it that

his son is viewed as what his father was. Although its significant that Marroquin is having this

struggle because of his name it doesnt face away from the fact that people automatically assume

that certain ties in history can be associated to a person just because of past events such as this

which is proved among Latinos being casted as criminal roles.

Many Netflix viewers arent aware that drug dealers are the ones who choose what they

want in their future, whether it is getting caught by the DEA or running a mafia of drugs and

getting killed. For Netflix users that have seen Breaking Bad, the main character Walter White,

an American that lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico takes risk. Not are only Hispanics involved

in the drug dealing world, but white people that decide what they want for themselves. In this

case, Walter White a chemistry teacher decides to make meth to maintain his family for the years

he wont be present. Sometimes we cant misinterpret a person as a whole, but more of an

individual in need of financial help.

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Life choices are what determines our successful or failures in the future. In Faux Meth Is

Big Business in Breaking Bad Town by Megan Kamerick demonstrates that its not drugs that

makes someone drug dealer. Wise decisions impact Whites life, states Bryan Cranston, actor that

plays Water White, The show is not about meth addictionIts about life choices people make/

Walter White made some damaging choices in his life, which started him on a spiral that he

couldnt control and he went out of control and lost his soul (para 11-12) People just like Walter

White, Pablo Escobar, and El Chapo knew what they are getting themselves into. Once

associated with the cartel always a drug dealer.

Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, the biggest drug lord in Mexico is someone people cherish

and others that hate. In the Byline of the broadcast, Mexican Drug Lord Joaquin El Chapo

Guzman Extradited to U.S by Carrie Kahn reveals the capturing of El Chapo in prison again.

El Chapo Guzman, has potential power in Mexico and is associated with any cartel you can think

of, Kahn states, He faces multiple charges laundering, drug trafficking and murder, all

connected to his leadership of the Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the largest and far-reaching in the

world today (para 3) Joaquin El Chapo Guzman being associated with cartels all over the

world, but especially the Mexican cartels show that El Chapo cannot be trusted in his territory

because all the help he can get to escape once again from jail. Mexicans in particular are known

to be associated with El Chapo and illustrate Hispanics to be villainous.

Even with our current president, Donald Trump, he believes that all immigrants being

send to the U.S are all the same. In The Washington Post, Michelle Ye Hee Lee reveals what

Trumps thinks about the Mexican community as a whole. Trumps quote reads, When Mexico

send its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre not sending you...Theyre bringing drugs.

Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists. And some, I assume, are good people. What is there to
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assume, if we all know that people make decisions whether they want to be noticed as what the

media portray them to be. Trump being the president of the United States is giving Stereotypes

and people more reasons to see that the Hispanic immigrants are all the same. It is like the game

telephone. Once somebody says or hears the wrong information, it can maliciously affect the

persons understanding of what was said originally which can be related to what Trump says or

rather assumes.

One of the most known drug television show on Netflix Narcos hits a Colombian

anchor and news director for Tampas Univision affiliate. Its certainly true that one of the

biggest drug cartel in Colombia is Latino, but that doesnt mean all Colombians are related to

Pablo Escobar, Pilar Ortiz the Colombian news director states Every time I tell people Im from

Colombia, the first thing they say to me is, Oh, you must have some good stuff, But the first

time I saw cocaine was in this country, People start assuming we all consume or are involved in

a drug mafia, Ortiz wasnt even aware of what cocaine was. Ortiz also states, People generalize.

How many people look and say, Mexican and Colombian, you mean its not the same? Or,

Youre Spanish, you cant be Hispanic. They dont know. (paragraph 17) If its not Youre all

Mexicans then its All you Hispanics are related to drug dealers, therefore youre associated

with El Chapo and Pablo Escobar.

For many years stereotypes have impacted the community, not just any community but

the Hispanic community. They base their expectations in what they in the streets, movies, and

social media, but not the family. As the media keeps portraying not only Mexicans, but all

Latinos as corrupt because they are associated with drug trafficking people believe them. The

media creates new things every day and people get caught up on what they hear. Every country is

unfortunately involved in its drug problems, drug dealers, and consumers, but who are the
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Latinos to be blamed for all the drug going around. Stereotypes are false accusations that make

the world believe that just because we are the same race, ethnicity, or color we are the same. Not

all Latinos are drug dealers or are associated with the drug cartel.
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References:

Mexican Drug Lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman Extradited To U.S." All Things Considered, 19

Jan. 2017.

Faux Meth Is Big Business In 'Breaking Bad' Town." Weekend Edition Sunday, 11 Aug. 2013.

"'Narcos' Actor Wagner Moura On Shedding The Weight Of Pablo Escobar." Morning Edition, 2

Sept. 2016.

Lee, Michelle Ye Hee. "Analysis | Donald Trumps false comments connecting Mexican

immigrants and crime." The Washington Post. WP Company, 08 July 2015. Web. 24 Apr.

2017.

Deggans, Eric. "How 'Kingpin' strikes Hispanics." St. Petersburg Times [St. Petersburg, FL] 2

Feb. 2003: 1F. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

Renouncing Pablo Escobar's Sins, His Son Trafficks In Motivational Talks." Weekend Edition

Sunday 18 Sept. 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.