The Gringo Hunters Ending Explained: How Does Nico Take Down Ortega?

At the end of Netflix’s ‘The Gringo Hunters,’ the eponymously nicknamed International Liaison Unit undergoes a significant transformation. Without ignoring its roots as a team designed to deport fugitives who treat Mexico like a criminal safe haven, the Unit also digs deep into the mystery surrounding all the key players of the city. Soon, they realize that these disparate cases are all connected, with the common thread being much closer home than they think. When enemy forces begin to tie a noose around their operations, the team rebels against the system and carves its own path out through blood, sweat, and tears. Eventually, the mystery is gradually pieced together, and the team faces its final opponent, with help coming from the unlikeliest of places. SPOILERS AHEAD.

The Gringo Hunters Plot Recap

The International Liaison Unit is a collection of elite officers with varying perspectives and approaches, but one common goal: hunting down American fugitives and deporting them back to the country. The team is led by Temo Lozano and consists of Nico, Gloria, Archi, Crisanto, Beto, and Camila. Across episodes, they are assigned a multitude of cases, with targets ranging from murderers and thieves to sexual assaulters and child abductors, as well as crypto-frauds. The Gringo Hunters excel at undercover operations, fooling the target into lowering their guard before arresting them.

While navigating through these cases, the team often finds itself in a moral dilemma, as the line between criminal and victim is not for them to decide. This is exemplified by Temo’s newest case, where he tails and profiles Terry Davis, a former priest who is being sought for tax fraud. Upon talking to him, however, the veteran uncovers a larger network of crime that extends to both ends of the border. Accordingly, he relays the news to the Chief of Police and his former partner, Gildardo Ortega, and provides Terry with a safe haven.

However, Temo’s success is short-lived, as he is shot dead inside his car, right before a meeting with Nico. Temo’s death arouses suspicion, and Nico steals his cellphone, hoping to make his own discoveries. Elsewhere, billionaire Joaquin Meyer Rodriguez launches his redevelopment initiative, called Nueva Tijuana, which seeks to turn the slums of the city into a new housing project, complete with a Casino and other services for the wealthy. They use the help of Father Murphy, a local messianic figure, to tame public opinion before beginning his construction work, razing half the city in the process. Joaquin and Murphy also seem to have ties to Ortega, making them a deadly triangle of chaos and consequences that Nico and his team eventually manage to break through.

Simultaneously juggling multiple fugitive cases throughout the narrative, the Unit claws its way to the truth, surviving any challenge that comes their way, both natural and engineered. Along the way, they investigate multiple orphanages and their children, looking for a clue that explains the mystery around Suenos Sin Fronteras, Murphy’s foundation. During their investigations, they are also attacked by unknown assailants, who kill important people such as Terry Davis and a former orphanage member named Yahir. Soon, it becomes evident that whoever killed Temo is unhappy about the progress made by the Liaison Unit, and won’t hesitate to repeat their actions. As such, the Unit finds itself in the den of organized crime, with nefarious forces looking from above, and often, from within the system.

How Does Nico Take Down Ortega?

In the climactic showdown of ‘The Gringo Hunters,’ Nico and Ortega’s game of outwitting each other ends with the former on the floor, and the new Secretary of Security pointing his gun at him. It appears to be a hopeless situation for the protagonist, but he has plans of his own. He brings up the resemblance of this moment, of Ortega suppressing the truth, to the murder of Temo, the former leader of the International Liaison Unit and Nico’s father figure. In response, the antagonist finally takes credit for his actions and declares that he will personally savor gunning down his former partner’s protégé. However, in that moment, he is interrupted by Joaquin and his bodyguard Raffa, who promptly kill the remaining members of Ortega’s kill squad. The Secretary stands in disbelief at his former ally turning against him, but soon realizes his lies have been discovered.

Nico’s quest for the truth points him to reexamining the case that put Ortega on the map: his takedown of the Mochadedos gang. Years ago, they had kidnapped and subsequently killed Joaquin’s daughter Mariana. Being the investigating officer, Ortega’s response, as such, was deemed an act of heroic retribution, and he was awarded alongside his partner, Temo. However, the latter has a hard time digesting Ortega’s narrative, and although he remains quiet, another officer, Armando, refuses to submit. He cites the glaring holes in the case and is subsequently suspended. It is Armando who ultimately helps the Liaison Unit crack the case. It turns out that, before his suspension, the detective had stolen the original case files and buried them in his backyard. In the present, Nico and Archi dig them out and finally learn the truth.

Mariana Was Killed By None Other Than Ortega

The case files reveal that the gun used to kill Mariana had trace fingerprints of Ortega, suggesting that he played a role in her death. Armed with this knowledge, Nico makes his way to Joaquin and shares the details of the crime, letting the cunning businessman draw his own conclusions. This meeting follows the colossal failure of Joaquin’s Nueva Tijuana initiative, for which Nico and his team are to blame; however, upon learning of his daughter’s true fate, he puts those feelings behind him and becomes the protagonist’s twisted ally. When Joaquin finally confronts Ortega, no words are exchanged, but a flashback reveals the whole story. Ortega’s initial plan with Mariana was to collect an enormous ransom sum and share it with the Mochadedos; however, he was seen by the girl in the process, which prompted him to wipe out everyone in the scene, including her.

In the present, Joaquin takes revenge for his daughter by shooting Ortega in the chest. The job is then finished by Raffa, and the two make their exit, leaving Nico. He is soon joined by the rest of his team, and soon they celebrate their hard-earned victory over the antagonist. This comes after their series of near-death encounters with the Secretary’s death squad, which tries to ambush the team on multiple occasions. Furthermore, he also attempts to break the Unit from the inside by suspending Nico and Archi. However, the team holds strong and survives the ordeal in one piece. With Ortega dead and his crimes made public, Temo can finally be put to rest, and the team expresses this by adding this case to their former leader’s tally of solved cases, bringing closure to the entire Unit.

What is the Truth About Father Murphy? How is He Caught?

However, Ortega is not the only antagonist who exploits others for personal gain, as Father Murphy also fits the bill. His frequent appearance in the series is marked by his messianic popularity and charitable ventures. He is instrumental to Joaquin’s Nueva Tijuana campaign, as the locals believe the promise of new, better housing when it is channeled through Murphy. However, beneath the priest’s persona of charm and benevolence hides a sinister truth that is only known by a handful of people, mostly his victims. The Liaison Unit’s investigation into Terry Davis, Temo’s final target before his death, takes them down the rabbit hole of organized sexual abuse that takes place in the orphanages managed by Father Murphy.

The incriminating information about Murphy comes in the form of a diary left behind by Terry, which Temo hides at St. George’s Church. It details every child who was trafficked out of Suenos Sin Fronteras, along with the clients who abused them. The team hands it over to their US counterpart, Anne, who then arranges a formal warrant for Murphy’s arrest. However, the process doesn’t go as smoothly as planned, as the team is soon surrounded by angry Tijuana locals who refuse to let go of their patron saint. To avoid chaos, Gloria publicly confronts Murphy about his history of child sexual abuse, which finally causes him to snap. He boldly declares that he was merely committing those sins to procure funds to keep his institutions alive, and then likens his acts to God’s sacrifice.

Murphy’s true nature flips the switch on the local opinion about him, and soon, the very people gathered begin to attack him. The fact that he can acknowledge the evil of his actions, while still reducing them to a utilitarian equation of self-interest, makes him an analogue to the larger body of crime that takes place throughout the narrative. This idea is fleshed out through his connection to Ortega, who has a history of protecting him from investigation due to his value to Joaquin’s business. This makes apparent the network of corruption that feeds on itself, carelessly trampling on innocent lives. Murphy’s arrest has a catastrophic fallout, as it destroys Joaquin’s Nueva Tijuana campaign, and puts a big spotlight on Ortega, setting into motion the chain of events that lead to his eventual death.

Do Beto and Camila Get Together?

When the dust finally settles on the Liason Unit’s war against the system, the team finally has a chance to relax and recuperate, both mentally and physically. While all of them manage to return to their families and nurture their existing relationships, Beto and Camila strike a new bond of their own. Throughout the narrative, their chemistry is palpable, and it comes to fruition when Camila meets him in the washroom, and the two lock eyes. As Beto breaks into a smile, Camila says that he can kiss her if he wants, which appears to be her intent as well. With this, the two lock lips and exit the washroom hand in hand, marking what is likely the beginning of their romantic relationship. In a team comprised entirely of unbreakable bonds of friendship and camaraderie, the two lovebirds’ dynamic brings a breath of fresh air.

Camila and Beto’s bond goes far beyond romance, as it is forged in their dedication to the job. The two characters share strengths as well as weaknesses, which become evident in the second half of the story, when both of them are mentally burdened by their respective actions. For Beto, it is his decision to kill the fugitive, Leroy Chapman, who attacks Archi and leaves him to die in the desert. For Camila, the reasons are more sophisticated, as she is used as an undercover agent by both the Liaison unit and her uncle, Ortega, for conflicting purposes. As such, her journey in the show becomes one of finding agency, which perfectly complements Beto’s arc of embracing his love for his team without it clouding his judgment. As such, a romantic relationship gives them the perfect opportunity to balance each other.

What’s Next for the International Liaison Unit?

The final scene of the show offers a cocktail of nostalgia and tension, with the Gringo Hunters planning a nice dinner after their intense day, only to be roped back into the job with the arrival of a new case. The fact that all of them voluntarily get back to work speaks to their passion and dedication. Their newest target is revealed to be a fugitive named Michael Waters, who has been accused of triple murder. The team traces his last credit card usage to the Royal Casino at Agua Caliente, which is the name of a real hotel. It is possible that the following season might take off exactly where this season ends, continuing their investigation into Waters. His casually revealing location might be an act of deception, and the team cannot underestimate someone with a criminal profile such as his.

However, unbeknownst to them, an even greater foe lurks in the background, only showing himself through a phone call to Nico. This foe is none other than Joaquin, who informs Nico that he should not conflate a common enemy with a truce. Even at the brink of ruin, the businessman remains powerful enough to become a serious problem for the Unit, and this is worsened by his declaration that their story is far from over. Therefore, it is likely that moving forward, Joaquin will take on the role of the primary antagonist, using all of his political power to obstruct Nico from delivering justice. The present chief of police, Collado, is also likely to become a greater problem, as he already has a history of open distaste for Nico’s insubordination and rebellious nature. All things considered, it is business as usual for the International Liaison Unit.