Since her husband's death, she has become an activist and advocates drug awareness among the youth. Camarena opens the show in a scene that shows hes been abducted. According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the couple met at Calexico High School in Calexico, California, and became high-school sweethearts. In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and then executed. He was on his way to meet his wife, Geneva "Mika" Camarena who was his high school sweetheart for lunch. They then forcibly brought him to the United States to stand trial in federal district court. Kiki was surrounded by five armed men who threw him into a car and sped away. While he shared very little details with her to keep her from worrying, she was well-aware of the dangers of his job. When Kiki was abducted in Mexico, he was tortured and brutally murdered by drug traffickers. Soon after, they got hitched and had three sons . The Reagan Administration predictably freaked out and exercised its power. 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. (You can see photos of the real people behind the Narcos: Mexico characters here.) Kiki Camarenas slaying outside Guadalajara created international shock waves. Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo: Im not going to talk about because they've treated us poorly. The impact Kikis death has had on the drug war, and by extension, the entire world is undeniable. The Camarena murder never made any sense to me. Warning: Because the real story so closely tracks the fictional one, this article will contain spoilers for Narcos: Mexico. Flix Gallardo: I lost more than half of my family while I've been in jail: a daughter, my parents, my mother died without her furniture being returned to her, her furniture! The foundation was formed in . Flix Gallardo: I have to tell you, ma'am, I've had a 5-inch TV set in prison; I'm not aware of any violence. The son of a heroic DEA agent . Not much is known about Erik or Daniel. 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 agents now have better protection. The inclusion of a link on this website does not constitute an official endorsement, guarantee, or approval by DEA. During her talks, she often mentions that Red Ribbon Week should be celebrated all year round to increase awareness about drugs. In 2019, the Mexican government increased the number of people who have disappearedduring the war on drug trafficking to60,053. After he graduated from high school, he joined the Marine Corps. By 1985, which is when Narcos: Mexico roughly starts, he was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline, the DEA says. Copyright 2023 Distractify. And revealing as well! People who know me know I'm not a fan of #twitter for so many reasons. FollowNBC LatinoonFacebook,TwitterandInstagram. The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. In real life, Camarenas wife was indeed named Mika, and she is the mother of his three children. 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. Kiki never saw his wife or family again. Recently, the popular Netflix series"Narcos: Mexico" chronicled his life as the co-founder of the Guadalajara cartel, as the first drug trafficker to create a bridge between South America and the United Statesfor the export of cocaine negotiating with Colombian drug traffickers such as Pablo Escobar. Mika Camarena continues to honor her former husbands legacy through the foundations work. 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. For Kikis son, Thursday was a brighter milestone he said his dad would have treasured. I know that the president is a man of goodwill. His death stunned the nation and forever changed the war. In May of 1985, she met with President Ronald Reagan. Miguel Flix Gallardo is an honest man. Following Camarena's murder, 37-year-old Mika moved back to California with her three sons. Former deputy public defenders Matthew Braner and Selena Eply get their robes Monday and Tuesday, respectively. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. Drug dealers don't blindfold and record interrogations to kill someone. Flix Gallardo was first arrested in April 1989 and has spent 32 years in prison in Mexico for the 1985 murder of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar. That will get you better set for watching The Last Narc. His tortured body was found a month later. 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. I never met that man. 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. In fact, better yet, first watch Seasons 1 and 2 of Narcos: Mexico on Netflix. The 85-year-old also asserted that the report is a "rehash . Throughout the 1980s, the cartel controlled much of the drug trafficking in Mexico and the corridors along the Mexico-United . DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, seen here with his wife Mika, was kidnapped and killed by orders of the Guadalajara Cartel. During his acceptance speech, he thanked everyone who had been part of the learning process, making him the person he is now. 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. 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. There was my daughter, my son. All three series tell the story of Kiki Camarena, a 37-year-old DEA agent assigned to work in Mexico during the 1980s. 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. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (July 26, 1947 - February 9, 1985) was an American intelligence officer for the United States (DEA). Brown was sworn in. It all started with one man. 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. It organizes various activities and events as a part of it. Why were you linked to this murder? He, that person you're mentioning,I was never in Medelln or Cali, as the series says. That doctor was a real person although he denies involvement. So if we werent welcome here in Mexico that wouldnt happen.. Camarena dedicated his life to helping others before he was brutally tortured and killed in . 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). Ernesto Don Neto Fonseca and Rafael Caro Quintero were other cartel leaders involved. Son, Brother, Husband, Father, US Marine, DEA Agent. After the death of Kiki Camarena, his wife Mika Camarena became involved in a number of social and charitable initiatives in order to preserve and promote the sacrifices made by him. Offers may be subject to change without notice. In . Camarena received many awards and is considered an American hero. 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 . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The DEA often liken Agent Kiki Camarena to Jesus Christ. Kiki's children Enrique, Daniel, and Eric mourned the loss of their father. Camarena Educational Foundation in 2004 exactly for the purpose. One of those hundreds of agents was DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Biography [] Early life []. It was too late by then; Caro Quintero was spirited off in a waiting vehicle. They seem to maintain low profiles and don't have an over social media presence. The available information indicated it suffered an accident, the cause of which had not yet been determined, the statement said. I received a plastic bag over my head to suffocate me. A retired skin care consultant, Mika now focuses even more of her time on running the foundation. And Im going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way., Camarena, much like his father, is a peoples person. This doesnt seem to have stopped her as she went ahead to form the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation in 2004. 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. And I'm going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way.". Not much is known about Erik or Daniel. 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. The program has worked with many schools nationwide, sharing Kiki Camarena's story, and the harms of using drugs. What would you like to do if you were to regain your freedom one day? They still seem to be together as she has not changed her status. Unfortunately, he was brutally murdered on the job in Mexico in 1985 by the Guadalajara Cartel, per theDEA. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. Her eldest son Enrique became a deputy district attorney in 2014, working in the South Bay. 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. 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.". They still seem to be together as she has not changed her status. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mika-camarena-43123.php. His death stunned the nation and forever changed the war. Mika was, thus, abruptly left a widow, shouldering the responsibilities of her three children. 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. 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 His name is still seen on T-shirts. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was kidnapped and murdered in 1985, leading to a major escalation in the war on drugs. He has lost all hope that he will be released and believes he will die in prison. . His family knew that being a Special Agent could be very dangerous. After retiring, she now dedicates all her time to the organization and works together with schools and the law enforcement department to raise awareness about drugs among youths and their parents. After about a decade, on February 7th, 1985, Kiki, who was working as an undercover agent for the DEA, infiltrating drug trafficking gangs, was kidnapped and later brutally murdered by Mexican drug traffickers. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. 1985 - Camarena's Death. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, abducted off the street in Guadalajara while serving in Mexico, tortured and killed. And sure enough, thats what happened. Kiki Camarena's son, Enrique Camarena is now a judge in California after serving as a deputy district attorney for years. On the other hand, Enrique has proudly followed his fathers footsteps. His boys were 11 (Enrique), 6 (Erik), and 4 (Daniel) at the time of his passing, and Mika was left a widow at the age of 37. 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 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. Its now showing on Amazon Prime. 'Narcos: Mexico' tells the story of real-life DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who was abducted in Guadalajara in the 1980s. As he lay dying, a cartel doctor was ordered to keep him alert by administering drugs.. However, Enriques moment to shine truly came in 2014, when he was sworn in as the latest San Diego Superior Court judge. 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 by law enforcement.. Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious co-founder of the brutal Guadalajara Cartel, was behind the torture and murder of 37-year-old DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. I'm not aware why they've linked me to that crime. However, Enrique is realistic and recognized how his duties would be different in the new role. 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 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 . Moreover, the DEA even went so far as to orchestrate the kidnapping in Mexico of a Mexican doctor who was alleged to have assisted with Camarenas torture. Kiki's kids are all grown up. For example, back in 2007, he was part of the Red Ribbon Campaign Against Drugs, to make the public aware of the unseen harm caused by narcotics. 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. 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 . Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The case has been a point of contention . That was more than 36 years ago. Though she keeps a private Instagram account, her Facebook page has various updates of events from her life. Flix Gallardo was 28 when he was first sentenced by a judge in Jalisco. 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. Hes been in custody since 1989, however. 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. October 26, 2021. He blamed Camarena for a raid on a marijuana plantation in 1984. Mika met Kiki Camarena in high school, and that is where the two fell in love. She should feel relieved that the culprits are serving time. The Netflix series details the background of the case and how this horrendous crime unfolded. I am going on 76 years. As a member of the legal community, Enrique often gives speeches and addresses in colleges. Not just the prosecution, but oversee the entire way the case is handled and all thats put forth in the case and the decisions that need to be made. DEA A retired skin care consultant, Mika now focuses even more of her time on running the foundation. Mika moved back to California from Mexico with her sons following Camarenas death. #taliban #afghanistan #terrorism Flix Gallardo: I dedicated myself to agriculture and livestock since I was a child. Your strong efforts, he said, knowing better than anyone I hadn't stopped insisting during all these years. Tuesday, October 26, 2021. The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. 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. Infamous drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985, was captured Friday by Mexican forces nearly a decade after walking out of a Mexican prison and returning to drug trafficking, according to the Mexico's navy. He was the kind of guy who just wanted to keep the streets safe. 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