Jadue, still the upstart president of the Chilean Football Federation, walks these hallowed halls like a kid in a candy store. He’s ignored by the old guard. Juan Ángel Napout (Paulina Gaitán) – a subtle but powerful figure – watches him from a balcony. She sips mate. Her aide whispers, “The Chilean is asking about television rights.” Napout smirks. “He’s not asking. He’s begging.”
A montage set to a tense, percussive score. The 2015 Copa América is a success. Fireworks. Goals. Chile wins. Jadue is on the podium, crying real tears, hoisting the trophy. He waves to the crowd. Cut to Jimena watching on a TV in a crowded bar. She’s not celebrating. She’s counting. Her fingers move over her notepad: Three votes bought. Two referees assigned. One final fixed. She writes a name: Jadue. el presidente s01e02 hdcam
Jadue is in Rio for a FIFA “workshop.” A knock on the door. It’s Burzaco , now with two bottles of Dom Pérignon and a laptop. “Time to meet the partners.” On a crackly video call: Nicolás Leoz (Paraguay, old, frail, but eyes like razors) and Ricardo Teixeira (Brazil, loud, laughing). They don’t talk about soccer. They talk about markets. “Chile is a small market,” Leoz croaks. “But a loyal one. You sign over the media rights for the next three friendlies… and we make you a king.” Jadue, drunk on champagne and power, says, “Show me where to sign.” Jadue, still the upstart president of the Chilean
Back to the present. The tuna sandwich arrives. Jadue doesn’t eat it. Across the table, an FBI agent (the same one from the cold open) pushes a photograph: a man in a suit, leaving a Geneva bank. “Joseph Blatter.” Jadue freezes. The agent leans in. “You’re small fish, Sergio. We don’t want you. We want the shark. Help us, and you walk. Refuse… and we release your ‘contracts’ to La Tercera tomorrow.” Jadue looks at the sandwich. Then at the folder. He takes a bite. Then he speaks. “You want the president? I can get you the president. But you have to understand… he doesn’t take money. He takes souls. ” She sips mate
Extreme close-up of Jadue’s eye. It twitches. Then, a slow zoom out to reveal he is now in a witness protection safe house. He’s alone. He turns on a TV. A soccer match is playing. He changes the channel. It’s a nature documentary about spiders. He turns it off.
Jadue meets with a slick Argentine intermediary, (a new character, all leather jacket and cheap cologne). Burzaco slides a piece of paper across a marble table. “The 2015 Copa América. You want Chile to host the final. That’s a $3 million ‘gesture of gratitude.’” Jadue hesitates. His hand trembles. Then he remembers the empty seats at his own federation’s stadium. He picks up a pen.
Jimena (Karla Souza) is on her laptop, cross-referencing shell companies. Her husband, a journalist, brings her tea. “You’re obsessed with the little man from Calama.” She zooms in on a scanned document: a wire transfer from a Delaware LLC to a bank account in the Caymans. The beneficiary: Deportes Jadue SpA. “He’s not little,” she says. “He’s a spider. And the web just got bigger.” Her phone rings. She ignores it. It rings again. A blocked number.