Fugitive ‘King of the South’ Comes out of Hiding for TV Interview

Accused of running a global cocaine smuggling and money laundering ring, Sebastián Marset, one of the most notorious modern day fugitives who is hunted by Interpol and governments around the world, decided to lay low in a totally normal way last night. He gave an interview on Uruguayan television interspersed with music videos by his favorite artists.

The 32-year-old baby faced gangster, known by aliases such as the “King of the South” which he’s allegedly stamped on bricks of cocaine, and the “Man of a Thousand Faces” for his ability to obtain fake identities and passports from various countries, appeared on the news program Santo y Seña on Nov. 26 in a pre-recorded interview.

Prominent Uruguayan news network Canal 4 announced in the middle of last week that one of their journalists, Patricia Martín, met with Marset in his current hideaway most likely somewhere in the vast terrains of neighboring Paraguay earlier in November. The journalist reportedly arrived in Paraguay’s capital Asuncion, where she boarded a helicopter to an unknown location, then transferred to a second helicopter, then to a vehicle, which brought her to the secret whereabouts of the man that no one else has been able to find.

The infamy of Marset is a relatively new phenomena. A September investigation published by VICE News laid out in detail his recent escapades, from being busted moving kilos of weed with the uncle of a Paraguayan president in 2012, to his rise in the criminal underworld behind bars before his release in 2018. He then allegedly became a prominent player in the South American drug scene, working as a “manager” of various drug cartels, connecting different groups, routes, and money laundering organizations. During that time, Marset hid in plain sight, bribing a professional soccer team to allow him to play on their team, as well as posing as a music producer and concert promoter while allegedly making millions upon millions in illicit funds. 

In 2022, Paraguayan authorities named him as the ringleader of a vast conspiracy involving players including politicians and a evangelical church leader, to one of the region’s biggest crime lords, Miguel Ángel Insfrán, alias Tío Rico. He was later accused by Colombian President Gustavo Petro of being the mastermind behind the high-profile slaying of Paraguayan organized crime prosecutor Marcelo Pecci while the official celebrated his honeymoon on a Colombian beach in May 2022.

But even with the global spotlight and an international red notice by Interpol, Marset has remained elusive. He was able to escape authorities in Dubai in a passport scandal that brought down high-ranking Uruguayan politicians just days before being named in the investigation into his organization. Then, Marset began hiding in plain sight in Bolivia, once again using a fake identity to live luxuriously and join another local professional soccer team, appearing on television in games under a pseudonym. 

Bolivian authorities finally tracked Marset down to a mansion in the city of Santa Cruz in July, but by the time they arrived, he was gone again. Shortly after, Marset, who has become infamous for sending video messages to the press to give his side of the story, released another startling communication, claiming that the Bolivian police tipped him off to the raid.

Since then, Marset’s whereabouts remained unknown, with rumors that he could be anywhere from Brazil to Africa.

But actually Marset was in Paraguay as recently as early November, when he appeared in a green sweater, wearing a gaudy gold watch, to once again, give his side of the story to the media, this time to Patricia Martín of Santo y Seña.

The newscast announced that the interview would be released in two parts, the first last night, and the second, on December 3. In the portion released last night, Marset continued to insist that his family was not involved in any of the crimes that he’s accused of. Authorities are also attempting to arrest his brother and wife, which he claims were not involved in his business.

“I never involved my family. I have people that do what I need them to do,” said Marset.

He also denied being involved in a number of the crimes he’s accused of, including the assassination of Marcelo Pecci: “I didn’t know Marcelo Pecci. I knew who he was when [his murder] appeared on the television.”

He also claimed that the Uruguayan passport scandal which continues to engulf numerous politicians close to the president’s office was completely legal. “I didn’t spend $1,” said Marset. “If they had told me that you have to pay so much, I would have paid it. I had a lawyer who told me that they have to give me the passport.”

In one of the oddest parts of the interview, Marset saved his harshest comments for Bolivian authorities, who he maintained tipped him off to the raid in July. When a portion of the interview first premiered to advertise the show late last week, Marset was seen calling out Bolivian authorities. In response, Bolivia’s top security official Eduardo del Castillo gave a press conference saying that Marset was someone who is “used to lying” and he gave the interview because he is “cornered” by authorities. In response, Marset was able to once again send video messages to Santo y Seña, rebutting the minister just hours before the interview aired, which were edited into the show, saying that Del Castillo “is the one who is worried,” calling the Bolivian official a “cynical liar.” Marset has previously claimed that Del Castillo received money from narcos for protection.

But nothing was more bizarre than the accompanying music videos which were edited into the interview. The host of Santo y Seña, Ignacio Álvarez, explained that the songs were chosen by Marset because he “identifies” with them.

The first song, a live version of “Real Guerrero” (Real Warrior) by Farruco, opens the interview with a soft piano riff, with the Spanish lyrics superimposed onto the screen. One of the first bars could perhaps best be translated as: “A ton of people are criticizing me because of everything that I’ve sought out.” The piano continues in the background throughout the beginning of the interview, giving it a somber tone.

Midway through the show, a second video appears by Natti Natasha and Daddy Yankee for the song “Buena Vida” (Good Life). The music video is clipped from a show called La Piloto, a Univision series from a few years ago about a female pilot involved in drug smuggling, where the song is the opening theme. As the video continues, Santo y Seña decided to re-edit it to include glamorous videos from a birthday party hosted by Marset that was airplane-themed and had previously leaked in the media. During one absurd scene from the birthday bash, Marset is seen smiling as the Spanish lyrics in the background say: “I’m the boss of the skies, when I pass, they tremble.”

Marset remains on the lam, but this time his next appearance won’t be a surprise. It’s planned for next Sunday, 8pm, in his native Uruguay, and it will be televised.