In late 2018, federal prosecutors decided not to retry the men. According to The Los Angeles Times, Camarenas murder led to the fall of Gallardo and his close associates and the fracturing of their cartel. Camarenas body was found in a rural area outside the small town ofLa Angostura, in the state of Michoacn, on March 5, 1985. Some told startling stories, alleging that U.S. officials had secretly been involved with a cartel that was delivering huge quantities of marijuana and cocaine to the USA, according to people familiar with the case who were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly. The right arm was broken and showed numerous lesions. lvarez subsequently initiated acivil suitagainst the U.S. government, charging that his arrest had breached the U.S.Mexico extradition treaty. They blindfolded him and, between questions, beat and burned him. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Camarena had been working at the agency since 1974, mostly in California, before his transfer south of the border (via DEA). Camarena was also a Special Agent on the original Imperial County Narcotic Task Force (ICNTF) while working in Calexico, California. Camarena's widow and the mother of his three sons, Mika, told the publication: 'I want the truth to be out. At 881 Lope de Vegaa residence owned by Ruben Zuno Arce, a dealer and associate of. The inquiry inserts the Justice Department intoa chapter of the 1980s drug war that the government had long dismissed as a myth claims that the U.S. government entangled itself with drug traffickersas officials in the Reagan administration illegally armed rebels fighting the socialistgovernment in Nicaragua. A man convicted in the 1985 kidnapping, torture and killing of U.S. DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar was deported after serving three decades in prison, officials said Friday . Rafael Caro. the DEA and the National Family Partnership observe Red Ribbon Week to honor Kiki Camarena . Enrique Camarena Salazar Whats my thoughts ? The government gave him and the two other former Mexican police officers immunity in exchange for information. Prosecutors dropped the case before a judge could rule on the request. When Mexican soldiers destroyed the plantation based on information from Camarena, he was. The Tragic Death Of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena, Wikimedia Commons/United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Caro Quintero, the drug boss chiefly responsible for Camarena's death, was recently released from a Mexican prison in the middle of the night, more than a decade early. I want the truth to be out. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of }); It would be the last time Camarena was seen alive. By then, prosecutors and agents had begun interviewing witnesses again, including the three former Mexican police officers who had worked as drivers and security guards for some of the Guadalajara Cartels leaders. Camarena held other positions in law enforcement before joining the DEA. Murder of Kiki Camarena Camarena's kidnapping By 1984, the Guadalajara Cartel had expanded into the cocaine industry in partnership with Colombian cartels, and it became increasingly violent as it took over Tijuana from Alberto Sicilia Falcon 's organization and fought back against DEA efforts to weaken its drug business. Mexican authorities provided audio recordings of parts of the interrogation to the CIA. The book alleges that DEA officers investigating Camarenas death knew that the drug agents murder was a joint operation between the drug cartel and the DFS, an agency with intimate ties to the CIA., Kuykendall said, The CIA didnt give a damn about anything but Cuba and the Soiets. In order to maintain control and enforce these anti-drugs laws, a new federal agency was born. 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. Special Agent Enrique Camarena worked with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) from 1974 through his abduction and murder in 1985 (Drug Enforcement Agency, n.d.). DEA It was the 7th of February, 1985. Set in the 1980s, the plot revolves around how an undercover agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Enrique S "Kiki" Camarena Salazar comes into the picture and tries to catch the drug traffickers red-handed. This story aired at 10 PM. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. 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's disappearance made worldwide headlines in February 1985, and sparked fury from the Reagan Administration, who effectively shut down the southern border in a bid to pressure the Mexican government to catch the culprits. (606) 8.5 2020 X-Ray HDR UHD TV-MA. Two former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and a former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency contract pilot are claiming that the Reagan Administration was complicit in the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena at the hands of Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero. "I would look at the case of Kiki Camarena. Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena, 37, was abducted, tortured and killed in 1985 while . Traces of drugs were also found in his body. On February 7, 1985; DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena and his pilot Fredy Zavala were kidnapped by agents of the Direccin Federal de Seguridad, allegedly on behalf of Rafael Caro Quintero, one of the leaders of the Guadalajara Cartel. In 1985, American DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by Mexico's most notorious drug lords. 'Narcos: Mexico': How similar is the real-life torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena to the story. A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment. These psychos were obviously baying for blood Mod blood, to beexact. Ive been reading a lot about Mexican gangs/ cartels recently and their sheer brutality and total disregard for the sanctity of human life has left me sickened and appalled in equal measures. 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 opening scene and new credit sequence reveal that Kiki gets abducted by the boss of the Guadalajara cartel, Felix Gallardo (played by Diego Luna). hitType: 'event', The Murder Of Kiki Camarena Part 1 MOBFAX 72.6K subscribers Subscribe 445 Share 32K views 1 year ago #Mexico #KikiCamarena #DrugCartel The Murder Of DEA agent Kiki Camarena Part 1. You cant just put it in a drawer and forget about it, said one official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case and did so only on condition of anonymity. Was he really abducted? LOS ANGELES The gunmen were waiting forEnrique Camarena. Camarenas son, Enrique Jr., a county judge in San Diego, declined to comment through a spokesman because judicial ethics rules dont allow him to comment on open cases or investigations.. The four-part series, released in July, tells the true story of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a special agent with the DEA, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1985.. We are one of the worlds fastest growing }); In its spin-off, 'Narcos: Mexico' goes on to show the Guadalajara cartel's ascent as Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo (Diego Luna), Rafael Caro Quintero (Tenoch Huerta Mejia), and Don Neto, aka Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo (Joaqun Cosio), join hands. )Special Agent (ICNTF)Special Agent (DEA). Sara Coso was a Mexican socialite who was the lover of Guadalajara Cartel lieutenant Rafael Caro Quintero during the 1980s. That doctor was a real person although he denies involvement. "Shortly after Kiki's death, Congressman Duncan Hunter and high school friend Henry Lozano launched Camarena Clubs in Kiki's hometown of Calexico, California. What she was able to tell me was that he was a guy that just wanted to do good. Prosecutors and agents confirmed to Camarenas widow, Mika, that witnessesprovided the accounts allegedly connecting the CIA operative and DEA official to the plot, she said in an interview. A few of the men charged in the case remain fugitives. Ticking off Felix, Don Neto and Rafa's plans, Kiki continued with his operation until he became the target owing to corrupt Mexican officials who sent his location to Felix and his gang. Years later, another Justice Department review found he had repeatedly created scientifically unsupportable lab reports and provided false, misleading, or inaccurate testimony at criminal trials.. } 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. 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. An undated file photo of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, the DEA agent murdered in Mexico in 1985. He was a police officer, and then he became part of the DEA. Also found was the body of his pilot, Zavala Avelar. First in an exclusive Tico Times series in two parts. Two associates,Ernesto 'Don Neto' Fonseca and Rafael Caro Quintero, were also convicted. By 1985, which is when Narcos: Mexico roughly starts, he was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline, the DEA says. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ A Mexican court has ordered the release of Caro Quintero after 28 years in prison for the 1985 kidnapping and killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique Camarena, a brutal. It was not the first time someone had claimed that U.S. intelligence was entangled with the cartel responsible for Camarenas death. He was injected with amphetamines and other drugs to ensure that he remained conscious while being tortured over a 30-hour period, culminating with a hole drilled into his head with a power drill." hitType: 'event', And so for me, its still a little bit about the legacy of duty. Guy before you leave please take the time to read extracts from my forthcoming autobiography A Belfast Child , which tells the amazing story of my life growing up in the Loyalist heartlands of West Belfast during the worst years of the Troubles and my 25 year search for my missing catholic mother. They claimed the DEA official accepted money from the cartel. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Caro-Quintero was convicted by a Mexican court but freed on appeal and is on the FBIs most-wanted list. hitType: 'event', Kiki joined the Drug Enforcement Administration in June of . U.S.officials turned to some cartel associates to helpillegallyarm and equip rebelsbattlingthe Sandinista government in Nicaragua in what came to be known as the Iran-contra affair. 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 1981, the same year Reagan started his first term as president, the DEA sent their special agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena to Guadalajara, Mexico. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (26 Juli 1947 - 9 Februari 1985) merupakan seorang agen DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Amerika Serikat keturunan Meksiko yang menjadi korban pembunuhan oleh kartel narkoba Guadalajara pada 1985. In the late stages of Narcos: Mexico, ambitious DEA agent Kiki Camerana was finally murdered after being tortured for several days. His body was found dumped on the outskirts of La Angostura. }); World Mexico captures the notorious drug lord behind the kidnapping and murder of a DEA agent Rafael Caro Quintero was convicted in the 1985 death of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena but set. Camarena, 37, who was known by the nickname "Kiki," served in the U.S. Marine Corps before moving into law enforcement and becoming a DEA agent in 1975. President Richard Nixon created the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973 in his crusade against drug trafficking and other drug-related offenses. I had come to know several of the DEA agents in Laredo. 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. An internal Justice Department investigation in 1997 found he had testified falsely before Congress. He was likely injected with drugs to ensure he remained conscious throughout the ordeal. At this point, nothing would surprise me. Camarena, 37, who was known by the nickname Kiki, served in the U.S.Marine Corps before moving into law enforcementand becoming a DEA agent in 1975. Click here to order :https://tinyurl.com/2p9b958v. pg.acq.push(function() { From 1973 to 1975, Camarena served in the United States Marine Corps. The Red Ribbon Campaign was created to honor Camarena and to raise awareness about the dangers and effects of using drugs. You can watch the whole. Close US-Mexicanborder? eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The highly publicized abduction and murder in 1985 was one of the darkest moments in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration history and provided the plot for the Netflix series "Narcos: Mexico." After serving in the Marine Corps for two years, Kiki was a Calexico fireman, Calexico police officer, and an Imperial County Deputy Sheriff. The cartel enforcers took Camarena to a house on a street called Lope de Vega, where witnesses said they put him on a bed in a guest house at the rear of the property and interrogated him about raids on the cartels supplies and the informants who helped lead agents to the drugs. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. That was the last time anyone but his kidnappers would see him alive, reveals the DEA, adding that he likely died two days later. Ernesto Don Neto Fonseca and Rafael Caro Quintero were other cartel leaders involved. "I remember the children coming home. But the nature of Camarena's torture wouldn't be known until the following year. On February 7, 1985, the cartel struck, seizing Camarena as he left the office to meet Mika for lunch. After getting the information, the criminals murdered Agent Camarena and buried him. After his military service, he moved back to his hometown of Calexico, California to work as a fireman and then became a police officer in the Calexico Police Department. Mika Camarena is pictured meeting Ronald Reagan at the White House shortly after her husband's death. The gruesome details also involve a hole in his skull inflicted by a screwdriver. . The Amazon Prime series provides the real backstory of what happened to Camarena and why. 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. DEA agent whose brutal death featured in Narcos was BETRAYED by CIA agent, according to key witnesses in 1985 case. Was Kiki Camarena really kidnapped and tortured? The names of any particular CIA or DEA Agents who allegedly conspired in Camarena's death have not been disclosed. Sara Coso was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, the daughter of Secretary of Education Octavio Csar Coso Vidaurri and the niece of Governor Guillermo Coso Vidaurri. }) After graduation, Kiki Camarena served in the United States Marine Corps for three years, attaining the rank of Lance Corporal. Alas, we've come to the unforgettable tragedy of season 1 of Narcos: Mexico. The four other defendants, Vsquez Velasco,Juan Ramn Matta-Ballesteros, Juan Jos Bernab Ramrez, and Rubn Zuno Arce (a brother-in-law of former PresidentLuis Echeverra), were tried and found guilty of Camarenas kidnapping. Lira, a former state policeman in Mexico who provided security for a Guadalajara Cartel kingpin on the side, told USA TODAY that prosecutors said he might have to testify in court if the case evolves. On March 9, his body was flown from Mexico to the U.S. for his funeral (pictured above). gads_event = event; In later years, DEA agent James Kuykendall, who was Camarenas supervisor in Guadalajara, has spoken out about the CIA and the Kiki Camarena murder. Moreover, if its vengeance for costing the cartel lots of money, why not simply assassinate him? Other lawyers who received access to some of the new witness accounts described them in a court filing as incredible., Lira, a former state policeman in Mexico who provided security for a Guadalajara Cartel kingpin on the side, told USA TODAY that prosecutors said he might have to testify in court if the case evolves. [, Zuno had known ties to corrupt Mexican officials, and Mexican officials were implicated in covering up the murder. They told her they were investigating the claim, but she said they did not provide details. The witnesses said they described the details to federal agents in 2018. Authorities arrested and questioned Ezequiel Godinez-Cervantes, who was among the men indicted in Camarenas murder in 1987, but prosecutors dropped the charges after he was convicted of drug trafficking in Texas. It was in 1975 that he first joined the DEA and in 1981, he was assigned the Guadalajara office. eventAction: 'click_adunit' 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. Before his departure, Justice Department lawyers began reviewing hundreds of cases for which Malone had analyzed forensic evidence and asked prosecutors nationwide to help identify ones in whichhis work played an important role. Enrique Kiki Camarena, the DEA law enforcement officer murdered in Mexico in February, 1985, was apparently not the victim of the Mexican capo Rafael Caro Quintero, but rather, of a dark member of the CIA. Coincidentally the Netflix Narcos: Mexico series has been screening and watching it I was able to align the story line/s with the brutal real life characters I have been reading about and those involved in Kikis savage murder. The governments review opened one more difficult chapter for the people still mourning Camarenas death. He was a Marine. ), Young woman left in tears after her huge back tattoo doesn't turn out as expected: 'I'm stuck with this for the rest of my life', Don Lemon will be forced to have 'formal training' after 'frank' talks with CNN boss Chris Licht following 'sexist' Nikki Haley comment and rift with Kaitlan Collins but will return to morning show on Wednesday, 'If Don doesn't go, we will! The Mexican drug lord, whose role in ordering the kidnapping and murder of a US drugs enforcement agent in 1985 was featured in Netflix drama Narcos: Mexico, has been captured. Michael Malone, a longtime FBI agent and prolific expert witness, testified that hair samples taken from two suspects on trial in Camarenas murder Rene Verdugo and Juan Matta-Ballesteros matched hair recovered from the guest house where Camarena was tortured;therefore, it was compelling evidence putting both men at the scene of the crime. A federal court rejected the request, saying there was no evidence tying the government to the smuggling ring. eventAction: 'click_ads' By the early '80s, Ronald Reagan was the new President and the agency was in full force. }); A federal court tossed their convictions in 2017. You can read about him here. The tape was also used in the federal trial against the three Mexican cartel bosses who ordered his kidnapping. 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. }); ga('ads.send', { . But if you just want to watch The Last Narc only, that is sufficient. He said he was asked not to discuss the case, but were in a free country.". Its now showing on Amazon Prime. Consisting of four one-hour segments, it will be the most fascinating drug-war documentary you will ever watch. FBI scientists made such claims for years in front of judges and juries. Camarena received numerous awards while with the DEA, and he posthumously received the Administrators Award of Honor, the highest award given by the organization. Camarena is the subject of the bookO Plata o Plomo? Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. Some told startling stories, alleging that U.S. officials had secretly been involved with a cartel that was delivering huge quantities of marijuana and cocaine to the USA, according to people familiar with the case who were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly. A spokeswoman for the DEA, Mary Brandenberger, said she could not comment on ongoing investigations. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Kiki moved with his wife and young son from California to Mexico. Virtually every step of the way, the government has disregarded both the law and ethical standards of professional conduct in its zeal to make an example of Rene Verdugo, one of his lawyers, John Lemon, wrote in a court filing in 2018 after a federal judge threw out both convictions. A man walked down the street just outside the DEA office in Guadalajara, Mexico, to have lunch with his wife. Watch The Last Narc to see why. Godoy said in an interview that he spoke to DEA officials in April 2019 about Camarena's killing. Reportedly, the farm had an estimated annual production worth $8 billion. ', Camarena is pictured with wife Mika and two of their sons shortly before his death, Camarena's disappearance made worldwide headlines in February 1985, and sparked fury from the Reagan Administration. His skull, jaw, nose, cheekbones andwindpipewere crushed, his ribs were broken, and a hole was drilled into his head with a power drill. Updated Nov 3, 2022 at 6:12pm DEA Kiki Camarena, the DEA agent that Dr. Delgado is accused of helping torture in Narcos Mexico Season 2. ga('ads.send', { Published: 00:22 EST, 28 February 2020 | Updated: 09:08 EST, 28 February 2020. He was about to expose the operation when he was kidnapped on February 7 while he went to have lunch with his wife, Mika. The ending is a sad one, and what happened to Kiki Camarena would change the face of Mexican drug cartels forever and lead to the emergence of El Chapo. Physical Description 1 videocassette (Umatic) (1 min., 54 sec.) Hundreds of club members including Calexico High School teacher David Dhillon wore red ribbons and pledged to lead drug-free lives to honor the sacrifices made by Kiki Camarena and . Camarena, the Mexican-born agent and father of three, was 37 years old. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar would never be seen alive again. }); Officials questionedthe men intheir offices in Riverside, California. He spent four years in Mexico tracking the countrys drug dealers (the drugs of choice were marijuana and cocaine back then.). In February 1985 Camarena was kidnapped by drug traffickers hired by Mexican politicians in Guadalajara, Mexico. Kiki and Fredy were tortured for information for a period of over 30 hours, resulting in their deaths. 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. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. We sell bronze life-size busts of Kiki that are unveiled in schools and libraries throughout the country, not just in San Diego. window.adsContainer = {"position2":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Above_Next_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position3":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_ATF_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle1_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle2_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position7":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle3_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle4_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle5_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position10":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle6_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position11":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle7_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position12":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle8_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position13":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle9_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position14":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle10_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position15":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle11_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position16":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle12_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250}} While prosecutors were deciding whether or not to re-try the two men, they interviewed the three witnesses, where the allegations about the CIA involvement was revealed. Enrique Camarena Salaza lahir di . Harris said Godinez-Cervantes denied any involvement, though the attorney said authorities did not appear entirely satisfied with his answers. Given the lapse of time, Harris said he didn't expect new charges. At the time of Camarenas death, Matta ran a fleet of airplanes that U.S. investigators said supplied Nicaraguan rebels and smuggled drugs. He was also a veteran, having joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1968, according to a DEA biography of him. Makes a great Xmas gift for book lovers & those interested in the Troubles & the crazy, mad days my generation lived through. Teams of federal agents descended on Guadalajara, and more worked the case from the USA. Statistical breakdown of deaths in the Troubles of Northern Ireland 1969 2001, Irish National Liberation Army ( I.N.L.A), Irish Republican Army.