The "Queen of the South," a one-hour drama based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte's bestseller of the same name, has become one of Telemudo's top telenovelas to now join the popular USA Network.

USA Network last week announced the 13-episode series pick-up of the Mexican drug cartel thriller "Queen of the South," starring Brazilian actress Alice Braga ("City of God," "I Am Legend"), a co-production from Fox 21 Television Studios and Universal Cable Productions (UCP).

"Queen of the South," which is scheduld to premiere in 2016, "tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza (Braga). When her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico, Teresa is forced to go on the run and seek refuge in America, where she teams with an unlikely figure from her past to bring down the leader of the very drug trafficking ring that has her on the run. In the process, she learns the tools of the trade and strategically positions herself to become the leader of the Cartel."

Considering the story and the talent that followed speaks for itself, USA was on board right away.

"From script to inception, 'Queen of the South' had us hooked," said Chris McCumber, President of USA Network, in a statement. "Alice Braga does an outstanding job playing Teresa Mendoza, a determined woman who defies all odds, to not only survive, but to thrive in an unfamiliar world. The novel has been embraced around the globe, and the telenovela broke records -- now we're looking forward to sharing this unique version of her story on USA."

The "Queen of the South" will be executive-produced by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller ("The Final Girls"), along with David Friendly ("Little Miss Sunshine," "Big Momma's House") and Pancho Mansfield ("Damien").

The pilot is written by Fortin and Miller and directed by Charlotte Sieling. Fox 21 Television Studios developed and produced the pilot and will run lead on the co-production with UCP.