Actress Kate del Castillo has filed a petition seeking an injunction against any arrest related to Mexico’s investigation of her relationship with detained drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, a court official confirmed on Wednesday.
Del Castillo arranged a meeting between the drug boss and actor Sean Penn in October. Guzman was arrested in a raid in January.
Later that month, Mexico’s attorney-general said officials were investigating possible money laundering involving Guzman and the actress’ tequila business.
On Wednesday, an official with the federal judiciary council said that Del Castillo’s petition was filed at the end of last week, but said a judge told the actress’ lawyers to specify more clearly the grounds on which they were seeking the injunction. The official could not be quoted by name under judicial policy.
Lawyers have five days to answer the court’s request for more information.
Mexican law allows people to file for injunctions against government actions that they think could violate their constitutional rights, even if those actions haven’t occurred.
Del Castillo’s representatives did not respond to repeated requests for comment. On Twitter, she wrote recently that many people are making up “items they think will make good stories.”
However, a leaked series of text messages between Guzman and Del Castillo published by Mexican media — and confirmed as authentic by federal officials — depicted a relationship of mutual admiration and even some flirting.
Prosecutors have said they want to talk to Del Castillo about her actions, but there is no indication any warrant or charges against her have been filed.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Arely Gomez said Del Castillo “is absolutely within her rights to file whatever legal appeals she wants.”
“We respect the presumption of innocence, and at the same time we are working on our investigation,” he added.
