As he lay dying, a cartel doctor was ordered to keep him alert by administering drugs.. She continues her mission to combat the societal effects of drugs in her late husband's honor. DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, seen here with his wife Mika, was kidnapped and killed by orders of the Guadalajara Cartel. Amazingly, Gallardo was only recently sentenced in the death (hed been sentenced before but a retrial was ordered; he never left prison after 1989, though). Dont give up the war. And so for me, its still a little bit about the legacy of duty. He was on his way to meet his wife, Geneva "Mika" Camarena who was his high school sweetheart for lunch. This is the first interview that Flix Gallardo has granted during his sentence. Stop adding to the list! The previous seasons focused on the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar and the Cali Cartel. Biography [] Early life []. 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. 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. Mika moved back to California from Mexico with her sons following Camarenas death. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . 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. 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. But after Berrellez figured out what was really going on, he was taken off the case. The son of a heroic DEA agent . In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped in Guadalajara, allegedly on orders from Caro Quintero. And sure enough, thats what happened. He spoke about it, saying, Its morphed into something else; I have to oversee everything now. They then forcibly brought him to the United States to stand trial in federal district court. 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). . in order to understand why the drug war continues today, they had to trace . 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. "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. Kiki's wife, Geneva "Mika" Camarena, mourned the loss of her husband. He continues the legacy of justice within the family. He spent four years in Mexico tracking the countrys drug dealers (the drugs of choice were marijuana and cocaine back then.). 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. People who know me know I'm not a fan of #twitter for so many reasons. Eventually the cartel's kingpin, Rafael Caro Quintero, and more than two dozen others were convicted in U.S. and Mexican courts -- Caro Quintero's release last year sparking outrage and a new arrest warrant. On-screen, he's depicted as a man with smart and innovative ideas who was able to unite different criminal organizations in a kind of federation of drug traffickers. Mika met Kiki Camarena in high school, and that is where the two fell in love. Ambassador Ken Salazar told a gathering of reporters there had been progress in the security relationship. The Amazon Prime series provides the real backstory of what . Mika Camarena was born in Fresno in the year 1948. Similarly, some songs would remind her of her late sons Kiki Camarena and firstborn Eduardo "Lalo" Camarena, who enlisted in the U.S. Army and was . Because of your relentless efforts! I am going on 76 years. Read More: Narcos: Mexico Filming Locations. The son of a heroic DEA agent slain in the line of duty nearly three decades ago took his oath of office to become the newest San Diego Superior Court judge Thursday, following his father's "legacy of duty.". I don't know if that's changed now. I think the knowledge of the danger was always there. The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. 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. The organization offers life-size bronze busts of Kiki to be unveiled at schools and libraries in San Diego and across the country. N arcos: Mexico 's first two seasons revolve around the 1985 murder of undercover DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, who was abducted . That doctor was a real person although he denies involvement. The story of Camarena's kidnapping and subsequent grisly death at the hands of a Mexican drug cartel was most recently brought to viewers via the wildly popular Netflix original series "Narcos . Red Ribbon Week started in 1985 in Kikis hometown of Calexico, California, and soon gained momentum across California and then the rest of the country. 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. All rights reserved, Ed Sheeran Shares His Wife Had a Tumor During Pregnancy, Oleato': Starbucks' Olive Oil-Infused Drinks Spark Curiosity in Italy, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. That was the last time anyone but his kidnappers would see him alive, reveals the DEA, adding that he likely died two days later. She went on to raise her three boys alone. For more than 30 hours, Caro-Quintero and others interrogated Camarena and . He was raised in California, graduating from Calexico High School in Calexico, California in 1966. They are old men living humble, ordinary lives in . An appeals court overturned Caro Quinteros verdict in 2013, but the Supreme Court upheld the sentence. 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. Mika Camarena and her future husband, Kiki Camarena, both grew up in the city of Calexico, California. Survivors benefits were raised after Kikis death, so my childrens education was paid for.. Ten of the informants were eyewitnesses to the kidnapping and murder of Kiki Camarena. Indirectly, they (the CIA) have got to take some of the blame. He alleged the CIA protected the DFS for decades, and stated, The DFS just got out of hand., Kiki Camarena Death: The Real Story of the DEA Agents Murder, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. "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 . Special Agent Enrique Kiki Camarena: A Man With A Moral Mission Enrique Kiki Camarena was born on July 26, 1947, in Mexicali, Mexico, to Mexican parents. She graduated from Imperial Valley College. 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. On the day of his abduction, Camarena was supposed to meet up with his wife, but she would never see him again. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, agente de la DEA nacido en Mxico y naturalizado estadounidense, fue secuestrado el 7 de febrero de 1985 por hombres del Crtel de Guadalajara dos semanas antes de . Enrique is now a deputy district attorney. There is no hiding place for anyone who kidnaps, tortures, and murders American law enforcement, he said in a statement. The work he performed had never been done at that level. Kiki gave his life in the fight against drugs, and the public wanted to do something to remember the ultimate sacrifice that he paid. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Camarena and the DEA's investigation into Caro Quintero and the Guadalajara Cartel in the mid-80s was detailed in the hit Netflix show "Narcos: Mexico.". The Reagan Administration predictably freaked out and exercised its power. The impact Kikis death has had on the drug war, and by extension, the entire world is undeniable. In a statement after Quintero's arrest on Friday, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland marked the end to the manhunt and paid tribute to Camarena. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. This led to the creation of Red Ribbon Week, an annual weeklong event that commemorated her husband, and campaigned against drug-related crime. According to organizations such as Semforo Delictivo, about80 percent of these homicidesare related to drugs and drug trafficking. 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. 1985-1990#KikiCamarena #Mexico #DrugCartelFor Educational Purposes. Camarena's casket is returned to the U.S. after his murder. 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. 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. Netflix Michael Pea as Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 'Narcos: Mexico.'. She later became a clerk in the Calexico Municipal Court, but eventually took the job of a skin-care consultant, which she continued till retiring. The agents now have better protection. In other words, we led a family life. 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. Thanks to President Ronald Reagan, that decade was when the American government began to laboriously crack down on the influx of drugs coming into the U.S. Today we are talking about the story behind American hero and former DEA agent, Kiki Camarena. #taliban #afghanistan #terrorism I asked what was their motive and all I got was more torture. Getty Don Neto is a key character in Narcos: Mexico. He is giving pensions. 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. Its now showing on Amazon Prime. Later on, he was killed while I was in prison. Was he really abducted? So if we werent welcome here in Mexico that wouldnt happen.. 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. 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 . Amazon Primes The Last Narc traces the events after Kikis death as a dogged DEA agent uncovers the shocking truth and the murky conspiracy that links the blood-soaked drug wars in Mexico to the corridors of power in Washington. Since You Can't Go to the Movies, Amazon Prime Brought the Movies to You, Amazon Prime Delivery Is Experiencing Delays in the Wake of Coronavirus, The Best Amazon Prime Shows of 2020, in Case You Needed Another Reason to Stay In. In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and then executed. 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. She started the Enrique S. Camarena Educational Foundation in 2004 exactly for the purpose. After serving in the Marines, he worked as a fireman for the City of Calexico and attended Imperial Valley College, where he earned an associates degree. He spent 28 years in prison . As Kiki walked to his truck, he was approached by five men who shoved him into a beige Volkswagen. Dora Camarena Soto was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, and had moved with her family to Mexicali when she was just 7 days old. And Im going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way., Camarena, much like his father, is a peoples person. Flix Gallardo, 75, the co-founder of the Guadalajara cartel, he was re-sentenced to 37 years for Camarena's murder. Our youth will lose.. I was beaten and pulled out in less than a minute, and I suffered four broken ribs. I never met that man. Camarena said, You know, I think about him every day. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . Kiki and his mother, Dora Salazar-Camarena. Im talking about who you are as a person. She has constantly been out in public, creating awareness by talking about eliminating drug abuse and its market. Narcos: Mexico Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix now, . 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. He was added to the FBIs top 10 most wanted list in 2018. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Former deputy public defenders Matthew Braner and Selena Eply get their robes Monday and Tuesday, respectively. The implosion of Guadalajara led to the rise of the Sinaloa cartel, led by Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, who is now in U.S. custody. Have you ever thought of escaping? Flix Gallardo: No. The money goes toward scholarships. After his discharge, he briefly had a stint working as a fireman before . 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. And Im not talking about who you are as a lawyer or trial skills. 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. What she was able to tell me was that he was a guy that just wanted to do good. 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. Flix Gallardo: I dedicated myself to agriculture and livestock since I was a child. Kiki received two Sustained Superior Performance Awards, a Special Achievement Award and, posthumously, the Administrators Award of Honor, the highest award granted by DEA, the DEA says. Kiki never saw his wife or family again. Camarena earned a BA from the prestigious Dartmouth College before securing his JD from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law. Kiki was due to be reassigned in three weeks because he had come dangerously close to exposing the top leaders of a multi-billion drug pipeline. These people and I have never chatted. 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