'Narcos: Mexico' Season 3 Cast Vs. The Real-Life Drug Lords The Netflix Show is Based On

If you're a fan of Narcos and its spin-off series Narcos: Mexico then by now you should know that both shows are based on true events.

Where Narcos focused on Pablo Escobar and the Cali cartel, Narcos: Mexico retells the history of the Mexican Drug War with Seasons 1 and 2 centered on Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (played by Diego Luna).

But there are a number of other characters who take the spotlight in the third and final season, and it's uncanny how much of a resemblance the cast members bear to their real-life counterparts.

Here, Newsweek provides a guide to each actor and the people they play.

Alejandro Edda plays Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán

Of all the real-life characters in Narcos: Mexico, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is arguably the most infamous of the lot.

El Chapo was one of the most powerful drug traffickers in the world, and Season 3 of the Netflix show charts his time as part of the Sinaloa cartel, the group's conflict with the Tijuana cartel, and his first arrest in 1993.

The drug lord is particularly renowned for escaping prison twice, first in 2001 and then again in 2015. He was recaptured in 2016.

He is portrayed by Alejandro Edda in the crime drama, and the resemblance between the pair is uncanny. Even the way Edda stands in a scene where El Chapo faces the press following his 1993 arrest is an almost exact replication of his real-life counterpart.

José María Yazpik plays Amado Carrillo Fuentes

Amado Carillo Fuentes became the head of the Juárez cartel after assassinating Rafael Aguilar Guajardo in 1993, then leader of the group.

While running the cartel he became known as the "Lord of the Skies" because of his fleet of airplanes, and is said to have accrued a massive fortune through drug trafficking prior to his death in 1997.

The drug lord died on the operating table while he was getting plastic surgery to change his appearance so that he could evade the police.

He is portrayed by José María Yazpik in the show, and he has played the character since Narcos Season 3.

Alfonso Dosal plays Benjamín Arellano Félix

Benjamín Arellano Félix was the leader of the Tijuana cartel alongside his brother Ramón, and they inherited the territory from Félix Gallardo after his arrest in 1989.

While the family consists of seven brothers and four sisters, the Netflix show focuses on Benjamín, his brother Ramón and their sister Enedina.

He remained the head of the organization until his arrest in 2002. He is currently incarcerated and is due to be released in 2032.

Alfonso Dosal portrays him in the Netflix show, and he first appeared as the character in Season 1 in a recurring role, before becoming a lead from Season 2.

Manuel Masalva plays Ramón Arellano Félix

Ramón Arellano Félix founded the Tijuana cartel alongside his brother Benjamín, and he was the head of the enforcement wing of the operation.

Essentially the muscle of the organization, he was said to be one of the most ruthless members of the group and was responsible for countless deaths.

For example, he was linked to the killing of twelve family members in Baja California in 1998. He was placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list in 1997, and was killed in 2002 following a gun fight with police.

Manuel Masalva portrays Ramón in Narcos: Mexico and has been playing the character since Season 1, though he has only become a lead in Season 3.

Mayra Hermosillo plays Enedina Arellano Félix

Enedina Arellano Félix is said to be the current leader of the Tijuana cartel, taking over after her brother Eduardo was arrested in 2008.

Prior to becoming the boss of the organization, Enedina is believed to have worked as the group's logistical accountant, allegedly helping in their money laundering operations before later rising to the top.

Time reported that Mike Vigil, the former head of international operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration, said of Enedina in 2008: "She is not into the wars of her brothers. She is into making alliances and making money."

Enedina is portrayed by Mayra Hermosillo in Narcos: Mexico, and she has portrayed the character since Season 2.

Alberto Ammann plays Hélmer "Pacho" Herrera

Hélmer "Pacho" Herrera was the fourth in command of the Cali cartel, alongside Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela and José Santacruz Londoño.

The Cali cartel operated out of Colombia, and Herrera was responsible for opening trafficking routes for cocaine through Mexico and also worked on building money laundering operations for the group.

Herrera turned himself in to police in 1996 and was the last of the Cali cartel's kingpins to be captured. He was killed in prison in 1998.

Alberto Ammann portrayed the character in Narcos and reprises the role in Narcos: Mexico, he has starred in all six seasons of the crime drama.

Narcos: Mexico will be available to stream on Netflix from Friday, November 5.