El Chapo was arrested by Mexican law enforcement on Jan. 8, six months after escaping a maximum security prison through an underground tunnel. Penn’s article was published the next day, and Mexican officials said his meeting with the drug lord was instrumental to their operation to recapture him.

Penn denied this claim in the “60 Minutes” interview, saying he had met with El Chapo in October, months before his arrest. The actor also suggested the Mexican government made the claim out of embarrassment.

“We know that the Mexican government, they were clearly very humiliated by the notion that someone found him before they did,” he said. “Well, nobody found him before they did.”

Rose asked Penn if he believes the Mexican government intentionally put him in harm’s way by making that claim:

Rose: Do you believe that the Mexican government released this in part because they wanted to see you blamed and to put you at risk?

Penn: Yes.

Rose: They wanted to encourage the cartel to put you in their crosshairs?

Penn: Yes.

Rose: Are you fearful for your life?

Penn: No.

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