Youve learned a lot from people in this job. Flix Gallardo: I'm not expecting that. U.S. military personnel carry the coffin containing the body of DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena following his 1985 murder Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo was one of the Guadalajara Cartel's three founders Kiki Camarena's son, Enrique Camarena is now a judge in California after serving as a deputy district attorney for years. What's the real story of the death of Kiki Camarena? The four-part cartel docuseries The Last Narc is set to premiere on Prime on May 15. Enrique worked on domestic violence and child abuse cases, after having given his father his word that hed not become a police officer, due to the dangers of the job. They removed eight hernias. If Enrique could share a message today, Mika says it would be one of hope and persistence. In February 1985 Camarena was kidnapped by drug traffickers hired by Mexican politicians in Guadalajara, Mexico.He was interrogated under torture and murdered. I also owned some drugstores and two old hotels. On the day of his abduction, Camarena was supposed to meet up with his wife, but she would never see him again. In other words, we led a family life. His and his pilot's body were later unearthed at a remote ranch, The New York Times reported. Some activists have been threatened and even killed in Sonora amid Caro Quinteros turf wars with the sons of "El Chapo. He spent 28 years in prison . Today, her six living children, all daughters, enjoy professional careers in the public sector and are employed with various federal and state agencies throughout the state and region. His full name was Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, and, in real life, he was a brutal and clever man called El Padrino AKA The Godfather. But, Kiki told her no. He was raised in California, graduating from Calexico High School in Calexico, California in 1966. Kiki and his mother, Dora Salazar-Camarena. Was he really abducted? Now, schools in Chula Vista and Calexico Camarenas hometown bear his name. Mika, who serves as the president of the organization, often took part in talks about drug awareness in schools and communities nationwide despite her longtime job as a skin-care consultant. Geneva Camarena returned to California after her husband's death and relocated to San Diego. An appeals court overturned Caro Quinteros verdict in 2013, but the Supreme Court upheld the sentence. An official website of the United States government. Kiki Camarenas slaying outside Guadalajara created international shock waves. That was more than 36 years ago. Life-sized, bronze busts of Camarena have been placed in learning and government facilities nationwide as a lasting tribute and reminder of the ongoing battle. However, she gradually distanced herself from the details about the case in order to focus more on what used to drive him during his lifetime: to not let the drug cartels win. Uno de ellos, Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena lleg a Guadalajara, Mxico, en 1980, cuando el Crtel de Guadalajara comenzaba a prosperar transportando la cocana que llegaba de Colombia. Violence is a consequence of unemployment, of social inequality, which Mr. Lpez Obrador is solving little by little. He was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, and received his B.A. My family is digging a grave so that I may be buried next to a tree. The Amazon Prime series provides the real backstory of what . Later Thursday, another former prosecutor recently appointed to the local judiciary by Gov. Miguel Flix Gallardo is an honest man. And Im going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way., Kiki Camarena spent three years in Calexico for the DEA before he was assigned to the agencys Fresno office and then to Mexico, where he worked out of its office in Guadalajara. Read More: Narcos: Mexico Filming Locations. All three series tell the story of Kiki Camarena, a 37-year-old DEA agent assigned to work in Mexico during the 1980s. Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. He has advanced freedom and free markets on talk-radio stations all across the country as well as on Fox News Neil Cavuto and Greta van Susteren shows and he appeared as a regular commentator on Judge Andrew Napolitanos show Freedom Watch. In addition to this, she has been pretty vocal in the aftermath of the recent news, which has witness accounts to claim that a DEA agent and a CIA operative were involved in the murder of her husband. In season 2, an enraged DEA jacks up its efforts to dismantle the cartel and get cartel figures to prosecution, even going so far as abducting a doctor accused of being affiliated with the cartel and assisting in Camarenas death. All Rights Reserved. Mika Camarena lives in her home in Chula Vista, California. Here's What That Means, Aztecs Falter Late, Boise State Ends Six-Game Win Streak, Nanny Sentenced for Killing 4-Week-Old San Diego Baby She Was Hired to Care For, Fishermen Find Missing Man's Remains Inside Shark's Stomach Off Argentina Coast, More Mysterious Booms' Heard Round San Diego, Brace For More Winter Weather, San Diego. Caro Quintero was originally slapped with a 40-year sentence for masterminding the murder of Camarena, who was accused of tipping off Mexican forces in 1984 to a marijuana plantation worth . Image source. He worked in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he and Mika lived with their three sons Enrique, Daniel, and Erik. And I'm going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way.". . Mika Camarena, wife of slain DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, with DEA San Diego at Camarena Elementary, #redribbonweek pic.twitter.com/5XYAfwsoTP, DEASanDiego (@DEASANDIEGODiv) October 27, 2016, Mika worked as a skincare consultant in the years after the incident. I have been in meetings with the foreign minister and with the security Cabinet, along with all our agencies that have included the new head of the DEA sitting at my right hand, Salazar said. Those last two conditions made the interview a bit difficult, so we had to write the questions on a poster board for him to read. Biography [] Early life []. Enrique is now a deputy district attorney. I received a plastic bag over my head to suffocate me. I wanted to find out what made the guy tick, and I did a lot of research and thank God I spoke with Mika (Camarenas wife), he told Newsweek. At age 40, Camarena Jr. takes the Superior Court bench after 15 years as a deputy district attorney in San Diego County, and his swearing-in ceremony drew a capacity gallery in the court's presiding department. Many people in Calexico had began wearing red ribbons after Kiki was murdered, a gesture that later turned into the Red Ribbon campaign and is now celebrated for a week during October 23-31 each year. Kiki gave his life in the fight against drugs, and the public wanted to do something to remember the ultimate sacrifice that he paid. DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, seen here with his wife Mika, was kidnapped and killed by orders of the Guadalajara Cartel. The DEA assigned the case to a special agent named Hector Berrellez,a highly decorated DEA special agent who plays the central role in The Last Narc. Camarena was abducted by corrupt officers on behalf of the cartel in Guadalajara, Mexico, in February 1985. I believe in Sonora, in general, there could be calm, and yes, relief for us, because I believe the disappearances will diminish, said Cecilia Duarte, an activist with a team of volunteer searchers in Sonora who look for the clandestine graves of the disappeared. Camarena was abducted by corrupt officers on behalf of the cartel in Guadalajara, Mexico, in February 1985. His wife, Geneva 'Mika' Camarena, lost her husband at the age of 36, when the two were in their prime, raising their family of three children. He was a police officer, and then he became part of the DEA. Camarena served in the Marines for two years, was a firefighter and police officer and deputy sheriff in California, and then joined the DEA in 1974. So if we werent welcome here in Mexico that wouldnt happen.. Moreover, if its vengeance for costing the cartel lots of money, why not simply assassinate him? Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo, in an exclusive interview with Noticias Telemundo, denied any involvement in Enrique "Kiki" Camarena's murder, even sending his widow a message. Mika Camarena meets with President Ronald Reagan at the White House. In various judicial and academic investigations, Flix Gallardo was closely linked to the beginning of the large drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. I think the knowledge of the danger was always there. He was added to the FBIs top 10 most wanted list in 2018. I was born in 46. In 1956, Kiki moved with his family to Calexico, California. Kiki joined the Calexico Police Department in 1970, and then later was assigned to El Centro, California, where he worked as a Narcotics Investigator for Imperial County. Stop adding to the list! Flix Gallardo: No. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was kidnapped and murdered in 1985, leading to a major escalation in the war on drugs. Why kidnap and torture him also? Throughout the 1980s, the cartel controlled much of the drug trafficking in Mexico and the corridors along the Mexico-United . However, she grew up in Calexico. Son, Brother, Husband, Father, US Marine, DEA Agent. Send him email. As Kiki walked to his truck, he was approached by five men who shoved him into a beige Volkswagen. First Lady Nancy Reagan later turned Red Ribbon . I think of my grandchildren. That was the last time anyone but his kidnappers would see him alive, reveals the DEA, adding that he likely died two days later. According to the DEA and multiple investigators, Flix Gallardo, along with Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and Rafael Caro Quintero, founded the organization the DEA would name the Guadalajara cartel. Tuesday, October 26, 2021. There was my daughter, my son. To get the message across loud and clear, President Ronald Reagan even completely shut down the U.S.-Mexico border, causing an unbelievable backlog of traffic on the Mexican side of the border. "It's been 32 years," he said. . This is the story of DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Scoprite #TheLastNarc, la storia di un eroe caduto e di un uomo che ha rischiato tutto per rivelare la spaventosa verit, indagando fra propaganda e corruzione. I'm not aware why they've linked me to that crime. The son of a heroic DEA agent . Mika has become a major advocate for drug awareness across the U.S., keeping her late husbands memory alive. Its now showing on Amazon Prime. In 1981, the entire Camarena family left Fresno, California for Guadalajara, Mexico where Camarena was assigned. Caro Quintero had walked free in 2013 after 28 years in prison when a court overturned his 40-year sentence for the 1985 kidnapping and killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent . Soon after high school, Camarena joined the Marines. The agents now have better protection. Camarena, who was behind a series of hefty drug seizures linked to Caro-Quintero in the 1980s, including a whopping $2.5 billion bust, had been actively wiretapping the cartel, USA Today reported. Snow, Rain and Wind in the Forecast Yet Again. The work he performed had never been done at that level. According to El Pais, Camarenas skull, jaw, nose and cheekbones were crushed with a tire iron. The foundations major goal is to make the country free of illegal drugs. Take out your list of movies to watch and place The Last Narc at the top of your list. The case has been a point of contention . Netflix Michael Pea as Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 'Narcos: Mexico.'. And Im not talking about who you are as a lawyer or trial skills. Camarena held other positions in law enforcement before joining the DEA. The brutal murder marked a low point in U.S.-Mexico relations. Daniel Link, 38, a deputy district attorney since 2001, is the son of Judge Frederic Link -- whos now in his 34th year on the San Diego bench. N arcos: Mexico 's first two seasons revolve around the 1985 murder of undercover DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, who was abducted . However, Enriques moment to shine truly came in 2014, when he was sworn in as the latest San Diego Superior Court judge. It was his end, and his new cartels end, and it was El Chapos beginning (the eventual drug lord is first seen in the beginning of Narcos: Mexico in all his humble beginnings as a driver for a Sinaloan drug lord). She graduated from Imperial Valley . Camarena les . The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. Camarena was survived by his widow, Geneva (also known as Mika), and their three children. Camarena said, You know, I think about him every day. Because of your relentless efforts! Full Context. The DFS agents then took Camarena, blindfolded and held at gunpoint, to one of Caro-Quintero's haciendas five miles away. The bottom line: Gallardo went way too far by targeting Camarena. But if you just want to watch The Last Narc only, that is sufficient. Lenny Jacobson and Mika Camarena attend the Netflix Original Series Narcos: Mexico, special screening at LA Live in Los Angeles, CA on November 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Its based on the notoriously tragic kidnapping and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, those involved, and the family he left behind. These people and I have never chatted. We are helping law enforcement get the word out about drugs to our youth, parents and schools., Kiki Camarenas son, Enrique Camarena is now a judge in California after serving as a deputy district attorney for years. A retired skin care consultant, Mika now focuses even more of her time on running the foundation. Caro Quintero was one of the primary suppliers of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana to the United States in the late 1970s. View these interviews at I'm really sorry because I know he was a good man. She went on to raise her three boys alone. Caro Quintero was arrested after a search dog named Max found him hiding in brush in the town of San Simon in Sinaloa state during a joint operation by the navy and Attorney General's Office, a navy statement said. Though she keeps a private Instagram account, her Facebook page has various updates of events from her life. What did you do before you were arrested? Ambassador Ken Salazar told a gathering of reporters there had been progress in the security relationship. Mika Camarena continues to honor her former husbands legacy through the foundations work. Netflix introduces actor Michael Pea as Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena in season one of Narcos: Mexico. They messed up my eyesight. It was too late by then; Caro Quintero was spirited off in a waiting vehicle. She worked briefly in the medical insurance field and in a courthouse, before pursuing a career that would last more than 13 years, says The San Diego Union-Tribune. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. He was on the FBIs most wanted list, with a $20 million reward for his capture through the State Departments Narcotics Rewards Program. Flix Gallardo: I dont know them. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Kuykendall is quoted in the book Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs, and the Press by Alexander Cockburn. On Thursday, February 7, 1985, at 2:00 pm, Special Agent Enrique Camarena left the American Consulate in Guadalajara to meet his wife, Mika, for lunch. Mika Camarena continues to honor her former husbands legacy through the foundations work. According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the couple met at Calexico High School in Calexico, California, and became high-school sweethearts. This doesnt seem to have stopped her as she went ahead to form the, Mika worked as a skincare consultant in the years after the incident. The couple was planning their return to the states at the time of his death; specifically, San Diego. I am going on 76 years. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (July 26, 1947 - February 9, 1985) was an American intelligence officer for the United States (DEA). It took five years and four months to face him. During her talks, she often mentions that Red Ribbon Week should be celebrated all year round to increase awareness about drugs. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Check out our most popular TV PLAYLISTS: LATEST TV SHOW TRAILERS: goo.gl/rvKCPb SUPERHERO/COMIC BOOK TV TRAILERS: goo.gl/r8eLH6 NETFLIX TV TRAILERS: goo.gl/dbO463 HBO. Camarena is pictured here in his high school basketball uniform. in economics from Virginia Military Institute and his law degree from the University of Texas. Alyssa Diaz and Mika Camarena attend the Netflix Original Series Narcos: Mexico, special screening at LA Live in Los Angeles, CA on November 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Netflix series details the background of the case and how this horrendous crime unfolded. NBC 7's Rory Devine has more. According to its website, no other event so galvanized public opinion against drug trafficking and abuse., The foundation offers scholarships to high school seniors, as well as a bust program in Camarena's likeness as a memorial to those lost in the struggle against drug trafficking or drug abuse., La vita di un vero Narcos non come ve la immaginate. The 85-year-old also asserted that the report is a "rehash . And I'm ready for it.". During an interview in 2010, 25 years after his death, she was asked about which day she observes as the death anniversary of her husband, considering that he went missing on February 7th and his body was recovered on March 5th, she mentioned that while she remembers him each and every day, February 7th, 1985 was the last day she saw her. Mika has become a major advocate for drug awareness across the U.S., keeping her late husband's memory alive. In . Mika Camarena and her future husband, Kiki Camarena, both grew up in the city of Calexico, California. There doesn't exist a czar, there's never existed such thing. Their three children were only aged 11, 6 and 4 at the time. In . The organization offers life-size bronze busts of Kiki to be unveiled at schools and libraries in San Diego and across the country. Garland on the capture of Rafael Caro-Quintero, among the FBI's Ten Most Wanted for his role in the alleged kidnapping & murder of DEA special agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena in 1985: "There . A 35 aos del asesinato de Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, el diario estadounidenses USA Today asegur en un artculo escrito por Brad Heath, que las autoridades norteamericanas estn . "My health is terrible. At the time, he spoke about how his father would have been proud of the achievement. The proceeds from the sales are used to sponsor six scholarships to high school students throughout the nation each year. Copyright 2023 Distractify. The DEA Museum's documentary tribute to Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, hosted by Curator of Education Josh Edmundson, features never-before-seen interviews honoring the man whose death inspired the creation of Red Ribbon Week. On Thursday, February 7, 1985, at 2:00 pm, Special Agent Enrique Camarena left the American Consulate in Guadalajara to meet his wife, Mika, for lunch. Lock Survivors benefits were raised after Kikis death, so my childrens education was paid for.. From a national health authority. The U.S. government pulled out all the stops to find out who did the kidnapping, torture, and killing of Kiki Camarena, putting unbelievable amount of pressure on the Mexican government to find the people responsible and extradite them to the United States. Caro Quintero, who's believed to be between 59 and 69, served 28 years of a 40-year sentence in Mexico for the grisly killing of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena before being fre The first question was why, after so many years, he had decided to grant an interview. The money goes toward scholarships. Flix Gallardo: No. In addition to the foregoing, Mika Camarena is the president of the foundation set up in the name of her husband since its inception in 2004. JFKs Remarkable Peace Speech that Sealed His Fate, Why They Hated Kennedy, and Why They Killed Him, The Pentagons Balloon Madness Recalls Major Rudolf Anderson, The Secret Services Obstruction of Justice in the JFK Case, The Torture and Execution of Kiki Camarena. We did not meet on the street. But I knew, she shares. We also speak in favor of the Red Ribbon campaign and drug awareness. In fact, better yet, first watch Seasons 1 and 2 of Narcos: Mexico on Netflix. However, he would make a fatal mistake, and season 2 deals with the aftermath of it: The murder of Camarena, and how the DEA responded to it. Enrique is around 46, while Erik is 41 years old, and Daniel, the youngest, is 39. Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo: Im not going to talk about because they've treated us poorly. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mika-camarena-43123.php. He spent four years in Mexico tracking the countrys drug dealers (the drugs of choice were marijuana and cocaine back then.). I'm not hoping. That doctor was a real person although he denies involvement. October 26, 2021. He saw the possibility and the signs of an empire being builtthis narcotics empireand he wanted to put an end to it because he saw what it could possibly become.. In popular culture, he's known as the "The Boss of Bosses," and though it hasn't been confirmed, most people associate the popular song from the group Los Tigres del Norte with the drug lord. As a member of the legal community, Enrique often gives speeches and addresses in colleges. His work that is believed to have cost one of the Mexican drug cartels, their land, eventually led to his abduction, torture, and death at the hands of these gangs. The Last Narc, which focuses on the 1985 murder of U.S. DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, wrongly alleges a government conspiracy that includes decorated federal agent, Jaime Kuykendall . She should feel relieved that the culprits are serving time. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. In the process, youll see why the drug war is so utterly corrupt and why there are people who have a vested interest in seeing that it continues. The available information indicated it suffered an accident, the cause of which had not yet been determined, the statement said. The non-profit's aim is to fight against youth drug use and abuse. Until his capture last week, the 69-year-old Caro Quintero was the Drug Enforcement Administration's most wanted man, accused of killing DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985 and then resuming a drug . I'm not asking anything from the president. This doesnt seem to have stopped her as she went ahead to form the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation in 2004. "You know, I think about him every day, Camarena Jr. And so for me, it's still a little bit about the legacy of duty. Who was the real Kiki Camarena? Hes been in custody since 1989, however. The impact Kikis death has had on the drug war, and by extension, the entire world is undeniable. Caro Quintero was from Badiraguato, Sinaloa, the same area as Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, the former Sinaloa cartel leader now serving a life sentence in the United States. in order to understand why the drug war continues today, they had to trace . In an interview, regarding the same, she said: I want the truth to be out. This is the first interview that Flix Gallardo has granted during his sentence. After his discharge, he briefly had a stint working as a fireman before . Camarena's widow and the mother of his three sons, Mika, told USA Today that she . He is also a judge for the Superior Court of San Diego County. He was very concerned about the drug problem in this country, and wanted to make a difference by helping the people that he cared about. But during this time, Geneva Camarena was also speaking tirelessly at school anti-drug events. Flix Gallardo, 75, the co-founder of the Guadalajara cartel, he was re-sentenced to 37 years for Camarena's murder. Kiki became a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1974. "The CIA ordered the kidnapping and torture of 'Kiki' Camarena, and when they killed him, they made us believe it was Caro Quintero in order to cover up all the illegal things they were doing . Warning: Because the real story so closely tracks the fictional one, this article will contain spoilers for Narcos: Mexico. Kiki never saw his wife or family again. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper, after his death, she formed the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation in 2004 with the help of retired DEA agents and her oldest son, Enrique, a deputy district attorney working in the South Bay. He was born on July 26, 1947, in the small town of Mexicali in Baja California. Mika was, thus, abruptly left a widow, shouldering the responsibilities of her three children. Soon after, they got hitched and had three sons Enrique Jr., Daniel, and Erik. Let me reiterate: I'm not into weapons. In reality, Kiki Camarena died in 1985, having been abducted by unidentified men in February 1985 while he was on his way to his wife Mika for lunch. Flix Gallardo: As the honest person that I always was, a man who wasn't into weapons. He told me very little because he didnt want me to worry. I had stomach surgery. Rafael Caro Quintero was convicted in the 1985 death of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena but set free in 2013 after a court overturned his 40-year sentence. That never happened. Kiki Camarena was born Enrique (Kiki) S. Camarena on July 26, 1947, in Mexicali, Mexico. His family knew that being a Special Agent could be very dangerous. Registered as a Republican, Camarenas job and family history has naturally solidified his anti-drugs stance. I used to take my children to school. His tortured body was found a month later. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. Flix Gallardo: I was in a house in Cosmos in Guadalajara when they knocked down the door, without any arrest warrant, without any search warrant. Watch The Last Narc to see why. President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador has maintained that he is not interested in detaining drug lords and prefers to avoid violence. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped in Guadalajara, allegedly on orders from Caro Quintero. Published Jul. After completing her studies, Mika Camarena began working as a medical insurance clerk for a doctor in Calexico. The documentary tribute to Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena premieres today at 11 a.m. EDT. In 2020 alone, a total of 34,515 homicides were registered. Mika, a former skin-care consultant, worked throughout her life to raise drug awareness across the . In 2004, she established the Enrique S. Camarena Educational Foundation with the help of several retired DEA agents, as well as her son Enrique. I don't even know why I'm here. Kiki found out about the connection between the CIA and contra fighters same way how Gary Webb publicized it, and somehow was found with 2 gunshots to his head as a . Todays arrest is the culmination of tireless work by DEA and their Mexican partners to bring Caro-Quintero to justice for his alleged crimes, including the torture and execution of DEA Special Agent Enrique Kiki Camarena. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. So, why would drug dealers go after and kill Camarena, a fairly low-level drug agent? But recently, the DEA's new head in Mexico received a visa, which the U.S. officials marked as a sign of progress in the relationship. He eventually became one of the godfathers of Mexican drug trafficking. However, she recently received unprecedented media attention after Netflix produced the crime-drama series 'Narcos: Mexico' in 2018, which depicted the tragic story of her husband. This Mr. Camarena, whoever they were, whoever did it, the perpetrators and masterminds are behind bars; they've paid with their lives in prison, and they've had a very rough time. The Amazon Prime series provides the real backstory of what happened to Camarena and why. She dedicates her time to promoting drug awareness in schools and communities nationwide.. A high school friend and congressman in California created what were called Camarena Clubs, and people across the country wore red ribbons to indicate they were rejecting drugs, an effort that drew the support of First Lady Nancy Reagan. Berrellez was heroic and ended up solving the case.