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Narcos has always been a dramatic show, but in its third season, the series pushed that drama to its limits. Not only did this past season explore the suspicions and betrayals of four very powerful cartel leaders and introduce two new and ambitious DEA agents, but it also brought us the morally conflicted story of Jorge Salcedo. Throughout the entire season, Salecedo tried to distance himself from the Cali Cartel while becoming become an informant for the DEA. However, at the last minute, his clean membership gets a dirty stain and it’s all thanks to one hitman — Navegante.
Was Navegante a real person? Did the real Salcedo kill him? Here’s everything you need to know about this supporting character who leaves a big impact.
Who is Navegante?
In Narcos, Navegante (Juan Sebastián Calero) is the top henchman for the Cali Cartel and a fairly brutal one at that. Whereas Salcedo (Matias Varela) is typically assigned bare bones and relatively non-violence security-based missions, Navegante is someone you would not want to see at 2 in the morning. Throughout Season 3 he’s shown bribing the Colombian police force, kidnapping María Salazar’s son for María, and forcibly taking Christina Jurado to the FARC rebels in the jungle. He does a lot of the Cali Cartel’s dirty work, and he’s good at it.
How is Navegante connected to Jorge Salcedo?
Though they both work for the Cali Cartel, they don’t interact much throughout Season 3. That changes in the final episode, “Going Back to Cali.” As DEA agents approach Pallomari’s (Javier Cámara) house, it looks as if things are going to be all right. But then at the last second Navegante appears on a mission to kill Salcedo. After a brief and tense conversation, Salcedo shoots Navegante in front of the DEA.
Did the real Salcedo kill Navegante?
Not only does the real Salcedo maintain that he never killed the henchman, he says he wasn’t even by the Pallomari house that night. “In reality, I never killed him,” he said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “It was one of those things, I think the DEA guys did that.” Salcedo says he was with his family the night of the raid and that he never killed anyone.
However, others are less sure. Matias Varela, the actor who portrays Salcedo, believes his real-life counterpart committed the crime. “The real Salcedo was never convicted of killing anyone. He’s always said he was innocent of murdering anyone,” he said in an interview with Vulture. “Myself, I think he did it. The man did disappear. ”
Where have I seen Juan Sebastián Calero before?
The Colombian actor hasn’t done much work stateside, but he’s been working consistently for years. Calero has starred in Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso, Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso, and Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal, which is on Netflix.
