Mika Camarena continues to honor her former husbands legacy through the foundations work. If Enrique could share a message today, Mika says it would be one of hope and persistence. Mika Camarena was born in Fresno in the year 1948. One of those hundreds of agents was DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. It organizes various activities and events as a part of it. 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. There is no hiding place for anyone who kidnaps, tortures, and murders American law enforcement, he said in a statement. As he lay dying, a cartel doctor was ordered to keep him alert by administering drugs.. Today, the eight-day celebration is an annual catalyst to show intolerance for drugs in our schools, workplaces, and communities. Since her husband's death, she has become an activist and advocates drug awareness among the youth. The bottom line: Gallardo went way too far by targeting Camarena. The foundations three main programs include placement of memorial Camarena busts, scholarships for high school senior students, and participation in the Red Ribbon campaign. Meet Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Camarena was also the father of three sons. Gallardo was arrested on charges of racketeering, drug smuggling, violent crimes, and the murder of DEA agent Kiki Camarena, and sentenced to 40 years in prison. Now . His mother even tried to talk him out of it. 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 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. 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 Enrique Kiki Camarena. 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. His badly beaten body was recovered nearly one month after he was kidnapped. I think the knowledge of the danger was always there. LewRockwell.com and from 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. Her eldest son Enrique became a deputy district attorney in 2014, working in the South Bay. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. It appears that Kikis children have made new lives for themselves, but they continue to remember the heroics of their father, that perhaps changed the course of history itself. Survivors benefits were raised after Kikis death, so my childrens education was paid for.. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. Take out your list of movies to watch and place The Last Narc at the top of your list. His boys were 11 (Enrique), 6 (Erik), and 4 (Daniel) at the time of his passing . He worked locally. 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). In . Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In 2004, she established the Enrique S. Camarena Educational Foundation with the help of several retired DEA agents, as well as her son Enrique. Of course, everyone believes in miracles, but only for my grandkids. She has worked as an insurance clerk and as an office clerk for the Calexico Municipal Court. I think of my grandchildren. The following are direct excerpts from the Calexico Chronicle's tribute to Dora Camarena Soto. 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. LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Michael Pena (Enrique 'Kiki" Camarena) and Tenoch Huerta (Rafael Caro Quintero) attend Netflix's 'Narcos: Mexico' Season 1 Premiere at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live. Camarena was born in 1947 in Baja California, Mexico.He moved to the United States of America at a young age, but continued to periodically visit his grandmother in Guadalajara.. After completing his education, he served in the U.S. Marines for three years, attaining a rank of Lance Corporal. 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. The Enrique S. Camarena Foundation received the full support of her husband's colleagues and her oldest son, Enrique Jr. She is pregnant throughout part of the show and living with him in Mexico with their family while his job increases in danger. They seem to maintain low profiles and don't have an over social media presence. 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. Distractify is a registered trademark. Narcos: Mexico shows the growth of the Guadalajara Cartel, pieced together by Felix Gallardo out of warring factions. Did he really move to Guadalajara, Mexico and work for the DEA? Camarena held other positions in law enforcement before joining the DEA. The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. Mika Camarena, whose given name is Geneva Camarena, was high school sweethearts with Kiki. A very short video segment released by the navy showed Caro Quintero his face blurred dressed in jeans, a soaking wet blue shirt and baggy khaki jacket held by both arms by men wearing camfoulage uniforms and carrying assault rifles. They then forcibly brought him to the United States to stand trial in federal district court. I'm not aware why they've linked me to that crime. Kiki Camarenas slaying outside Guadalajara created international shock waves. Image source. Violence is a consequence of unemployment, of social inequality, which Mr. Lpez Obrador is solving little by little. 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. Getty Don Neto is a key character in Narcos: Mexico. 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. According to The Los Angeles Times, Camarenas murder led to the fall of Gallardo and his close associates and the fracturing of their cartel. Mika has become a major advocate for drug awareness across the U.S., keeping her late husbands memory alive. The four-part cartel docuseries The Last Narc is set to premiere on Prime on May 15. In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped in Guadalajara, allegedly on orders from Caro Quintero. 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 was, thus, abruptly left a widow, shouldering the responsibilities of her three children. And sure enough, thats what happened. Are you asking me why I am granting you the interview? Camarena Educational Foundation in 2004 exactly for the purpose. Camarena is pictured here in his high school basketball uniform. Actor Michael Pena, who played Kiki in Narcos, researched the role of Kiki Camarena for Narcos: Mexico in part by speaking with the agents widow. So, why would drug dealers go after and kill Camarena, a fairly low-level drug agent? According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the couple met at Calexico High School in Calexico, California, and became high-school sweethearts. Why were you linked to this murder? There doesn't exist a czar, there's never existed such thing. "My health is terrible. She told the newspaper, Since retiring as a skin-care consultant, I can spend more time as president of the foundation. Suspect wanted for the killing of DEA Agent "Kiki" Camarena was arrested in Mexicali. 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. He was added to the FBIs top 10 most wanted list in 2018. Enrique is now a deputy district attorney. According to El Pais, Camarenas skull, jaw, nose and cheekbones were crushed with a tire iron. In 1981, the entire Camarena family left Fresno, California for Guadalajara, Mexico where Camarena was assigned. 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 . 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). Consisting of four one-hour segments, it will be the most fascinating drug-war documentary you will ever watch. Camarena said, You know, I think about him every day. My life expectancy is very low, as you can see. She was educated at Calexico High School and later attended Imperial Valley College. Copyright 2023 Distractify. He was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, and received his B.A. In 2019, the Mexican government increased the number of people who have disappearedduring the war on drug trafficking to60,053. On the other hand, Enrique has proudly followed his fathers footsteps. Shortly before Caro Quintero's arrest Friday, U.S. The inclusion of a link on this website does not constitute an official endorsement, guarantee, or approval by DEA. 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. 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 . We didnt see a lot of effort (to capture Caro Quintero) in the last several years, especially when (Lpez Obrador) came in and immediately started to dismantle a lot of the infrastructure and the bilateral relationships between the U.S. and Mexico relative to drug trafficking, Vigil said. Flix Gallardo: That I wish her comfort. He is doing many things, and I wouldn't like to take up his time. All rights reserved, San Diego and California's COVID-19 Emergency Declarations Expire Tuesday. 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. On the day of his abduction, Camarena was supposed to meet up with his wife, but she would never see him again. 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. 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. Zavala was helping Camarena in his undercover operations, The LA Times reported. I am going on 76 years. Camarena dedicated his life to helping others before he was brutally tortured and killed in . After seeing Caro Quintero walk out of a Mexican prison once already, Vigil said he hopes the government won't risk a repeat Guzman twice escaped from Mexican maximum security prisons and would agree to a likely U.S. extradition request. The money goes toward scholarships. 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. 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. Known to his friends as "Kiki," Special Agent Camarena had been in Mexico for more than four years on the trail of Mexican marijuana and cocaine drug traffickers. In 1956, Kiki moved with his family to Calexico, California. In 1985, I was practicing law in Texas. Mike Vigil, the DEAs former chief of international operations, said Caro Quintero was believed to have been operating independently most recently, though there had been rumors he was back with the Sinaloa cartel. Kiki and his mother, Dora Salazar-Camarena. 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. An official website of the United States government. The DEA also kept her informed about the developments regarding punishing the people responsible for Kiki's death. Soon after high school, Camarena joined the Marines. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. JALISCO, Mexico Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo appeared in a wheelchair in the maximum security area of the Puente Grande state prison, in Jalisco. Lock That was the last time anyone but his kidnappers would see him alive, reveals the DEA, adding that he likely died two days later. Kiki never saw his wife or family again. There were two pending arrest orders for him as well as an extradition request from the U.S. government. They seem to maintain low profiles and dont have an over social media presence. November 16, only on Netflix. (You can see photos of the real people behind the Narcos: Mexico characters here.) Where is she today? 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.. 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. And revealing as well! In Sonora, one of the state's hit hardest by Caro Quintero's efforts to reclaim his territory, there was a hope his arrest could help. The proceeds from the sales are used to sponsor six scholarships to high school students throughout the nation each year. 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. Flix Gallardo: No. Quite the opposite, I hope he succeeds. Like in the show, Gallardo was arrested by Guillermo Gonzalez Calderoni (played by Julio Cesar Cedillo).. His and his pilot's body were later unearthed at a remote ranch, The New York Times reported. I was beaten and pulled out in less than a minute, and I suffered four broken ribs. EL CENTRO A convicted drug trafficker implicated in the 1985 torture and killing of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was arrested in Mexico and returned to California to face a charge of probation violation.. Ezequiel Godinez Cervantes, 77, was arrested Wednesday in Mexicali by authorities acting on information from the FBI that he had crossed the border, the San Diego Union-Tribune . Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . During his acceptance speech, he thanked everyone who had been part of the learning process, making him the person he is now. A locked padlock 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. The Netflix series details the background of the case and how this horrendous crime unfolded. 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. 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 . The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. Soon after, they got hitched and had three sons . Hes been in custody since 1989, however. Geneva 'Mika' Camarena was born in 1948 near Fresno, California, and was raised in Calexico, a city in Imperial County, California. I was born in 46. Enrique "Kiki" S. Camarena was a United States, DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Special Agent who was kidnapped, tortured, and killed in Mexico in 1985. . As Kiki walked to his truck, he was approached by five men who shoved him into a beige Volkswagen. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was released from prison in 2013 on a legal technicality and is being sought by the U.S. Camarenas death changed the face of Mexican drug cartels. Drug dealers don't blindfold and record interrogations to kill someone. 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 . . In May of 1985, she met with President Ronald Reagan. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. A retired skin care consultant, Mika now focuses even more of her time on running the foundation. 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. During her talks, she often mentions that Red Ribbon Week should be celebrated all year round to increase awareness about drugs. 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 . Three leaders of the Guadalajara drug cartel were eventually convicted in Mexico for Camarena's murder. 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