Original subtitles

A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES

We had nothing to do with this.

Because, as you know,

we don't like war. Don't forget it.

Besides, all of our business is family business.

WELCOME TO CALI

From the start, my brother and I gave it our all.

And when we least expected it, the company grew.

Because the business is headed from heaven's branch

to the end of the world.

I assume that's why we're respected everywhere.

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION BASED ON THE CHARACTERS OF THE BOOK

EL CARTEL DE LOS SAPOS. THE FACTS APPEARING HEREIN

ARE A PRODUCT OF THE AUTHORS' IMAGINATIONS.

SOME SITUATIONS, BASED ON REAL FACTS,

HAVE BEEN MODIFIED AND ENHANCED FOR AN AUDIOVISUAL FORMAT.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT

Mr. Mackensey!

-It's good having you here. Welcome. -General Parra.

Yes, indeed.

Come in, please.

-Thanks. -What do you think of Cali?

-How's the weather treating you? -Very well.

That's good.

I wanted to give you this vital information in person.

The department of money laundering has been tracking

the money that leaves the US and enters Colombia.

-Everything through a bank. -Exactly.

The Interamerican Bank headquartered in Panama.

The money comes to Cali from there.

To different bank accounts in the city.

Accounts of people who don't exist or who are dead.

They moved from coffins and aircraft

to laundering money through our own financial system.

That's it, General.

The modus operandi and the crime we need to take down Leonardo Villegas.

With this evidence a judge must issue an arrest warrant immediately.

Now we have to leak the information to the press.

The moment has come for the Villegases.

No! I thought I wouldn't see you again.

My León!

You know I keep my promises.

What's this?

You're thin.

I can see you've missed Marlén.

All right, Marlén.

How have you been? How's life been without me?

Without your kids?

What can I tell you?

Hard.

Terrible.

Even more terrible than the family parting ways.

It's hard to hear

that you're a criminal and you don't even know why.

One day, the police came here and turned the house upside down.

They asked about you like crazy, and I just...

didn't know what to say.

Kids at school don't want to talk to our kids anymore.

People don't talk to us, either.

Terrible.

That's how life has been.

Don't worry. That won't happen again.

No other member of this family will feel that humiliation again.

And why not?

Have you solved your problems or what?

It's all water under the bridge.

Go get prettier than you are.

We'll all celebrate tonight.

Yeah, about that. Since things got rough,

I decided the kids wouldn't come.

I left them at home.

I don't know! I don't know if tonight

I'll be back here or if we'll all leave Cali.

I don't know anything at this point, okay?

Why are you saying that, Maye?

-Sounds like I'll never see you again. -It's not that.

As if you'll suffer.

Look at me. Sit down.

-No. -Sit, calm down.

Breathe for a moment, just a moment.

This is not the Mayerly I've known for years.

A strong woman.

Who owns her own life and freedom.

Mayerly,

will you hide and be afraid forever?

That's not like you.

That's not the life you deserve.

Come here.

You have to leave Leonardo.

Do it for Adelaida,

for Federico.

But most of all, Maye, do it for you.

It's easy to say it, right?

Deisy.

Love is something crazy.

Sometimes it's even upsetting.

But you know I'm really in love with Leonardo.

I'm not turning my back on him.

Or my children.

If by any chance, God willing,

my baby decides to show up today,

or if Christmas happens to soften his heart,

I need you to do me a favor.

If he comes and asks for me,

I'll meet him in this place.

Only if he shows up, Deisy.

Otherwise, forget this card even exists.

Do you understand?

I have to leave.

Only you can help me.

The only person I can trust.

Don't fail me.

Merry Christmas, sweetheart.

-Take care. -You too.

Thank you.

CLUB BRISAS

I don't know if I should be doing this,

but Mayerly is very worried

and confused.

I need someone to open her eyes.

If you can get to those women

and tell them all you know about Leonardo and Emanuel,

and the horrible night you had,

that may be of help.

That way they'll realize who these men actually are.

But if you don't want to revive all that and bury it in the past,

that's up to you.

I'll respect your decision.

Excited to see your siblings?

Yes.

A lot.

But I think they'll be even happier when they hear the news.

That the family's growing.

Dude.

Are you really going to just walk into that house?

Really, really.

Tonight

I'll have the whole family gathered to tell them the news.

And I'll do an act of kindness towards the women in the house.

Really? What are you going to tell them?

That you were with both brothers and you're pregnant

but you don't know if it's Leonardo's or Emanuel's?

There are far more important things than the pregnancy.

Tonight...

shall be unforgettable.

Let's start!

Come on, it's getting darker, girls!

-How can we help? -Do me a favor, Mayerly.

-Yes, ma'am. -Fold the napkins.

Rosario, light the candles. Don't pray, please.

Relax, Marlén.

Fabiola, let's get those glasses really clean.

Oh my, the desserts!

Julia! Lora!

I almost forgot them.

-Thanks, kid. -There.

Tell me what you think.

Everything looks perfect.

Pass it to her so she tastes it.

Don't be selfish.

I almost brought my marranitas.

You bet.

You do what you have to do.

I don't need to explain anything.

Who's moving the cargo from the port?

We can't afford to lose another shipment.

They have evidence against us.

Yes, but it's key to know how the information was leaked.

Besides, we don't know what happened to Sullivan.

What was our deal?

This is a family reunion.

What's that really important thing you have to discuss?

A silly thing. Come on.

Obey the boss.

-Good evening. -Good evening.

Just a moment.

I'd like to make a toast.

To my children,

to my children's mom,

to my siblings,

to friends and partners,

and to the most important woman in this house.

Mom.

You know how we struggled to get here.

We love you.

I'd choose to be born into this family over and over again.

Cheers!

-Cheers! -Cheers!

Cheers!

To you.

To us.

To the family.

And who are you?

Nice to meet you.

Gina Manrique.

But who I am is irrelevant when it comes to your sons.

And which of the two is the father of the child I am expecting.

Do me a favor. Get her out of here.

No one move!

Let her finish.

Thank you very much.

Your sons,

the lords of Cali,

decent men behind closed doors.

But bandits and womanizers outside of this home.

These two gentlemen threw me out on the street,

alone and pregnant.

Because apparently I've betrayed them.

These two gentlemen,

who do dirty deeds,

and who settle scores whenever they feel like it.

They're criminals, ma'am.

Why do you think the cops want them?

We're leaving. Come on, move. Move!

We were told they would meet.

There may be some gunfire exchange with their guards.

So I want you to keep this in mind, gentlemen.

The men we're looking for

are needed alive.

They'll probably be with their families.

Their wives.

And, mark my words, even their kids.

So pay close attention.

We're looking for information.

Dead men tell no tales.

All right, men?

Yes, sir!

I don't get it.

When did this all happen?

Why didn't I notice? That's it.

The cards weren't lying.

I knew there was another woman.

But I didn't imagine they were sharing her.

Federico was right.

Okay, enough.

Let's stop speculating.

It only gets us more upset about the whole situation.

Let's wait for them so they tell us what's going on.

Is this what you came for? Here you are.

-No. -Don't take me for a fool.

Their money was all you cared about, so don't play the innocent.

Take this and don't ever show up again.

This is enough for you to start a new life

and give that boy a future.

I'm sure you don't know if it's Emanuel's, Leonardo's,

or anyone else's who was in your bed.

I'll put it this way.

Accept what we're offering...

or face the consequences.

When you are immature...

or lack education...

you can make mistakes.

And I have.

I took a path I should have never taken.

My goddam ambition.

It weighs on me. I'm not proud of it.

I was offered a deal...

to start making money.

Big, easy money.

Then one starts getting involved.

And I say "one" because I'm solely responsible for it.

I was the one who talked Emanuel into it.

I convinced him to get involved in it.

In drug trafficking.

Once you get into it, it's hard to get out or go back.

Until disaster strikes.

No, Guli.

You're not the only one to blame.

We're all guilty here.

We got carried away by power, money, women.

The truth has finally come out.

We've been so devoted to you.

We've endured so much over the past few years,

and this is what we get.

And you were with the same woman!

No, look.

She's a freeloader. She came to see what she could get.

-And the baby? -Which baby?

The one she's expecting!

Did you see her belly?

Are you going to buy that?

Look, Mayerly.

That woman's a prostitute.

What else could she want other than a baby?

Okay, please.

Don't trust that nobody

over us.

For Leonardo and me, the only thing that's important

is you.

Mom.

Mom.

Let's go, the police are on their way.

Go, go, go!

Here, come on!

Get up! Go, go!

-Mom, come on. -No, I won't move.

-We have to leave. -No.

-We have to leave. -I'll stay here!

-Come. -Look, Mom.

We have to go, come.

Mom.

No signs of the Villegases, sir.

But the staff is here. I await orders.

Gonzalo, you know what? I want you to question them.

Yes, sir!

Let's keep looking! Let's search the whole house!

You didn't have to take all the blame.

-You didn't have to! -I'm the only name they've got.

I'm not gonna turn you in!

What's pressing now is that I flee the country.

-I'll come with you. -I need you here to run the business.

Otherwise, I'm doomed!

Stay here and take care of the family.

Okay.

I swear to you

I'll clear the family name.

I'll keep my dignity.

-But to do so, I must leave the country. -No.

-Yes. -Take us with you.

-No, darling. -Take us with you.

When I'm settled, I'll send for you.

-Okay? -No.

I'll send for you.

I just want you two to clean up the mess you've made.

This horrible mess.

I swear to you I'll quit every business.

-Please, let's be together. -Yes.

To face everything that's coming.

I'll take care of you all. Mom!

Oh my God, I want to believe you.

Please, don't make it worse.

They're right when they say friends are better than money.

But you have both.

Money and people's help.

Ready for a long trip?

-Where are we going? -To a place without gringos.

One of my planes is flying us to the Motherland.

Spain.

Europe is the future of our business.

Besides, the food in Madrid is amazing, the best in the world.

It's a great place to live, you'll see.

Why the face?

Cali won't go anywhere.

You'll come back.

This city needs you and you need her.

What happened here?

No, sir.

No one's giving up here.

We have to be confident and keep moving forward.

For us who are present and for the ones to come.

They wanted to believe in a different life,

but there was no going back for this family.

No prayer, promise, or threat

would let the Villegases off the hook.

There was no point of return.

Ambition had reached a stage

where it would shatter the family's dreams.

MADRID - 12 YEARS LATER

RESTAURANT ALBA HOUSE - MADRID

Good afternoon, Mr. Leonardo.

-You booked the table? -As usual.

It's a pleasure having you here.

Today's special is the octopus dish. You'll surely love it.

That sounds great. Hey, Chucho.

Did you keep that bottle of sherry I recommended to you?

-Of course. -Great.

-Your father sounds like a celebrity. -Antonio.

You told me you wanted sherry, right? Look.

Jesús, two bottles of sherry, one for the table...

Years after that Christmas in Cali,

Leonardo Villegas settled in Madrid

with his second wife and his daughter Adelaida.

He started doing business in Europe and was doing very well.

However, peace and joy

wouldn't last.

OK, then. Tell me about you.

What do you do for a living?

Dad, don't start with the questions.

But let me ask him.

I only want to get to know the boy. That's it.

You were telling me your family is from Madrid?

Yes, from Madrid.

-So... -You're making him nervous.

You'll scare him away.

I'm sorry. The thing is we're a very tight-knit family.

We tell everything to each other.

Everything.

Everything?

I won't bother you anymore.

I propose a toast.

Give me a glass. All right, Adelita.

To you, for having found your love.

Dad, don't be corny.

-Cheers. -Cheers.

-Cheers. -Cheers.

I told you.

This is something crazy.

It's different.

Hurry up, Nubia. We have to hang this outside.

We have to do it right.

Look, I'll--

-What's up? -Michi.

-Go outside. -I'm hungry.

I'll be right back. I'll tell Blanquita to help you.

You may make a mess. Blanquita!

-Tell me, Mrs. Marlén. -Hurry!

Nubia went to hang the poster, but she'll do it wrong.

-Okay. -Go, take a look.

Are they hanging the poster? It has to be done properly.

We'll welcome my son. Wilmer is coming.

Of course.

I know, it'll go perfect. Antonio will help us.

-He'll be here any second. -I know. How exciting!

-How long is he staying? -One week.

Just that?

Hey, do you know anything about his girlfriend?

If he brings her to introduce her to the family,

then it's serious.

Not so fast, Mrs. Marlén.

He won't get married now. He's a child.

Let him enjoy life before shooting himself in the foot.

Don't say that.

You know what happened to me with his mom.

Don't even mention Dayana. It puts me off.

What would have happened if Wilmer had stayed with her?

No, what a mess.

Look at him now.

He's so accomplished. A good lawyer.

-And with a degree from abroad. -Right.

-I'll go grab a bite. -Go, help yourself.

It smells like freshly made aborrajados.

Don't burn yourself. They just came out of the oven.

What else?

Emanuel.

What about that gringa?

Does she know about the whole thing?

What do you mean?

What?

Don't tell me she's as naive as your mom and thinks you're merchants.

Exactly.

She is.

Look, Fabiola.

My brother and I used to do that

so that no one in this family, especially the kids,

ever had to do anything like it.

Now, hush.

"Used to."

PALMASECA AIRPORT

I can't wait to show you around Cali. You'll love it.

Yes, from the plane I saw the mountains,

the green,

and is it possible that I saw a large savannah?

A what?

No!

Those were sugar cane plots.

My grandma says they look like a quilt because they have different colors.

Here around the airport you'll see many plots.

Hello, gentlemen.

-Hello, welcome. -Thank you.

Hey!

There they are! Come on!

Relax, come on.

-Hey. -What's up, dude?

Long time no see. You look good!

Oh, thanks!

-What's up, Flaco? -How are you, Wilmer?

Look, he's wearing the flag of Cali.

And you've got hair on your chest! It was about time.

Don't tease me! My hair grows.

You've got the face of a baby.

Baby, this is my crazy cousin, the one I told you about.

Cindy, my girlfriend.

-Nice to meet you, Fabián. -You're a lucky man.

This angel is going to make us sing on heaven's branch.

Welcome to Cali, my love.

Okay, enough with the kisses.

Here's the car.

Wilmer Villegas, the young lawyer, the family's pride,

was visiting Cali with his girlfriend Cindy,

who was born into a devout Catholic family from Texas.

Cindy had never been among criminals.

Until now.

ADELAIDA'S HOUSE - MADRID

Wait.

-What happened? -Are you hot?

Or cold?

In here, with you? I'm burning.

So take those clothes off, we're at my house.

I mean, I don't know.

Dinner with your father made me think.

-Yes? -Yes.

-Why? -I didn't think he was so...

So formidable, right?

And all his questions

scared me a little.

So you want to play cops? Back against the wall.

-Why not? -Really?

Shall I pat you down?

Right.

-In the Colombian way. -So?

You know?

About my dad being rude...

He's very sweet to me.

-But there's no sweetness here, huh? -Not at all.

So put your T-shirt on.

How are you, beautiful?

Welcome home.

Welcome! The family's pride!

Grandma, it makes me so happy to see you again.

Oh, honey. Well, introduce us.

She's very pretty.

And smart.

We've been waiting to meet her.

Okay, all. She's Cindy Williams, my gringa girlfriend.

Hi, it's a pleasure to be here.

Thank you for the... "welcomed"?

Welcome.

-Without the "D". -Welcome.

I'm sorry my wife couldn't come

but she sends you both a big hug.

I got an apartment ready for you,

but the boss insisted that you stay here.

Here you'll be way better.

We've got food 24/7,

free laundry,

and Grandma's love above all.

That's true.

Come, let's eat.

Tell me there's aborrajado and bolocho.

All right, come in.

ADS OFFICE - MIAMI

Leonardo Villegas.

We've been following him for weeks,

so we've developed his profile.

Yes, it looks like him.

He's either a double or his twin brother.

He goes by the name Leonardo Belandia.

Claims he's from Venezuela.

The pictures were taken at a hotel restaurant in central Madrid.

His favorite place.

The staff know him.

Tell me the reasons why you'd meet there.

Partners' meetings?

Probably.

We've seen him meet people from Spain, Colombia, the US,

even politicians and TV celebrities.

But there's a particular man who's caught my attention.

I think he's Jaime Olaya.

-The one from Medellín? -Exactly.

So, Officer Allen,

what shall I do with that scum?

Let's stop waiting, Gallardo.

Next time...

proceed.

Okay.

You look worried.

I wasn't expecting this reception.

My family likes huge celebrations.

They wanted to meet you so badly.

-That's why. -I understand.

-But I'm not talking about that. -So?

Your family is really nice and kind to me.

And I really appreciate that. A lot.

But I see many men with guns.

That's why?

Come.

They're bodyguards,

they're here to look after us, and protect us.

Don't worry.

Do you remember I told you

my dad and my uncle were important businessmen?

Well.

Our family is important in Cali, baby.

We own a bank, a security company.

The drugstore.

You know I adore Cali.

And I love that you're here with me.

But here in Colombia, it's different.

We have to be careful, very careful.

It's only that. But, hey.

Don't think about those silly things.

-Okay. -I don't want you to worry about that.

Let's enjoy this trip, baby.

RESTAURANT ALBA HOUSE - MADRID

Shall we order a starter?

I don't know.

Leonardo, why don't we change restaurants?

What's wrong?

It's great here.

But it's always the same place.

We're not in Colombia.

That's the problem.

If they catch us here, we're screwed.

Listen. Look.

In this part of the world,

everything's fine. Nothing will happen.

But there, your friend Pablo is totally doomed.

Guillermo Cano is after him.

What did you expect?

The only thing that idiot has done

is ruin our reputation in that newspaper.

And Pablo's just letting a journalist play games with him.

Listen to me.

If this war against the government gets ugly,

none of us will benefit from it.

Give me the phone.

Mr. Leonardo, Mr. Jaime, I'm sorry to interrupt you.

Yes, I need those shirts today.

-It has to be today. -What are you going to order?

Don't forget about the slogan, okay? And the green lights.

What's up, cousin?

-How's everything going? -Very well.

Where's your girlfriend?

She went to walk around Cali with Grandma, Fabiola, and Nora.

Let's enjoy the fact that the gossipers are out.

Come, sit.

Let's have a drink.

All right.

How's things with the girl?

-Are you serious? -We are.

I think she's the one, bro.

Cindy will be my children's mother.

Look at you. Already thinking about diapers?

Dude, don't you think you're too young

to think about old folks' stuff?

You don't get it now.

But once you settle down, you'll understand.

No, no, that's pure bullshit.

I'd rather be single, just casual stuff.

That way, I can hook up with everyone at the same time.

You're like an old parrot that's never learned to speak.

Always so wild.

You know what?

If I were you, I wouldn't get used to that gringa.

When she finds out your dad,

your uncle, and your cousins are criminals, then what?

-Cindy won't find out, Fabián. -Were you born yesterday?

She's nobody's fool. What if she learns about your past?

She'll go back to the States and get herself a sugar daddy.

Just in case, I've got the grill to party the right way.

Tonight, the Villegas men are enjoying a big meal.

Sure.

But no, thank you. I'm not in the mood for it.

I'm not asking you.

I'm letting you know.

It's been a long time, and we need to talk.

Shall I pick you up?

Don't worry, Leonardo.

I'll talk to Pablo so he'll take care of it.

It's fine.

The business is doing well at this time.

Why should we fight?

We're gonna make real money.

Good afternoon. Have you reserved a table?

Hey.

Shall we go to the bathroom?

What's wrong with you?

Leonardo.

Leonardo.

Mr. Jaime.

Arrest them!

Move!

Stop!

-Mr. Leonardo! This way! -Let's go that way.

Stop, stop!

Hands on the table!

Hands on the table!

Okay, okay.

Officer.

Search him and handcuff him!

BASED ON THE BOOK EL CARTEL DE LOS SAPOS

BY ANDRÉS LÓPEZ

Subtitle translation by: Paz Romero