Updated Nov 26, 2018 at 11:48pm. Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. 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. Of the 10, three agreed to be interviewed for this story. The following are direct excerpts from the Calexico Chronicle's tribute to Dora Camarena Soto. There had been tensions between the Mexican government and the DEA after Mexico enacted a law limiting the U.S. agency's operations. Moreover, if its vengeance for costing the cartel lots of money, why not simply assassinate him? Kiki and his mother, Dora Salazar-Camarena. I asked what was their motive and all I got was more torture. I was born in 46. 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. I know that the president is a man of goodwill. They still seem to be together as she has not changed her status. Camarena was also the father of three sons. While he shared very little details with her to keep her from worrying, she was well-aware of the dangers of his job. She started the Enrique S. Camarena Educational Foundation in 2004 exactly for the purpose. Cartels have never existed in Guadalajara. He discovered why there were people who deemed it necessary to kidnap and torture Camarena rather than simply kill him. Flix Gallardo: It is a very sad subject. in order to understand why the drug war continues today, they had to trace . Mika, a former skin-care consultant, worked throughout her life to raise drug awareness across the . A retired skin care consultant, Mika now focuses even more of her time on running the foundation. But he told NBC 7 after the ceremony that now his job is to think more like a judge than a prosecutor. An official website of the United States government. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was kidnapped and murdered in 1985, leading to a major escalation in the war on drugs. Enrique "Kiki" S. Camarena was a United States, DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Special Agent who was kidnapped, tortured, and killed in Mexico in 1985. . Mika Camarena is an American activist and the wife of late Mexican-born American undercover agent for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Enrique S. 'Kiki' Camarena Salazar, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by drug cartels in early 1985 while on assignment in Mexico. Each year we issue six scholarships to high school seniors throughout the nation. 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. Not much is known about Erik or Daniel. Image source. During her talks, she often mentions that Red Ribbon Week should be celebrated all year round to increase awareness about drugs. Survivors benefits were raised after Kikis death, so my childrens education was paid for.. 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: I dont know them. "It's been 32 years," he said. "There is no hiding place for anyone who kidnaps, tortures, and murders American law enforcement. Each year, on October 23-31, more than 80 million . President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador has maintained that he is not interested in detaining drug lords and prefers to avoid violence. It took five years and four months to face him. Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. In other words, we led a family life. He, that person you're mentioning,I was never in Medelln or Cali, as the series says. 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. CIA killed Kiki. In an. 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. It has been some time since the valiant agent passed away, and his body was discovered in 1985. My life expectancy is nonexistent. . 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. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. The Murder Of DEA agent Kiki Camarena Part 1. There was my daughter, my son. According to The Los Angeles Times, Camarenas murder led to the fall of Gallardo and his close associates and the fracturing of their cartel. He was the kind of guy who just wanted to keep the streets safe. The foundations three main programs include placement of memorial Camarena busts, scholarships for high school senior students, and participation in the Red Ribbon campaign. The 85-year-old also asserted that the report is a "rehash . He worked locally. She also says that Camarena is always on her mind. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . In a candid interview with the San Diego Tribune, Mika was asked if she ever imagined this happening and knew of the dangers involved in Camarenas day-to-day work life. Since her husband's death, she has become an activist and advocates drug awareness among the youth. . Kiki gave his life in the fight against drugs, and the public wanted to do something to remember the ultimate sacrifice that he paid. 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. Flix Gallardo: That I wish her comfort. He specialized in prosecuting domestic violence and child abuse cases, having promised his father early on that he wouldn't become a police officer because of the dangers. Where is Kiki Camarena son now? In her interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Camarena says that, since retiring, she has been able to fully dedicate herself to the foundation, and using the money it receives to offer scholarships to college-bound students. The non-profit enlists the help of retired DEA agents and Mika's oldest son, Enrique. Where is she today? Today, she lives in Chula Vista. In later years, DEA agent James Kuykendall, who was Camarenas supervisor in Guadalajara, has spoken out about the CIA and the Kiki Camarena murder. 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. Flix Gallardo: No. I never met that man. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. In a talk, she said: When theres no demand, theres no power for the dealers., In an interview, she also spoke of the changes that have come out in the aftermath of her husbands death. His death stunned the nation and forever changed the war. 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. Noticias Telemundo: How has your life been in prison? According to organizations such as Semforo Delictivo, about80 percent of these homicidesare related to drugs and drug trafficking. Flix Gallardo: No. 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. Let me reiterate: I'm not into weapons. Three leaders of the Guadalajara drug cartel were eventually convicted in Mexico for Camarena's murder. Now he takes the bench in his father's memory, as NBC 7's Gene Cubbison explains. 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. Michael Pea plays DEA Agent Enrique Kiki Camarena in Season 1 of Narcos: Mexico. She should feel relieved that the culprits are serving time. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. And the nation mourned the loss of a hero. He died so others would not have to. Camarena earned a BA from the prestigious Dartmouth College before securing his JD from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law. For Kikis son, Thursday was a brighter milestone he said his dad would have treasured. Why kidnap and torture him also? "It's morphed into something else; I have to oversee everything now," said Camarena Jr."Not just the prosecution, but oversee the entire way the case is handled and all that's put forth in the case and the decisions that need to be made. I'm really sorry because I know he was a good man. In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and then executed. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. Though she keeps a private Instagram account, her Facebook page has various updates of events from her life. In later years, some have argued that Mexican operatives working for the CIA were involved in Kiki Camarenas death, according to El Pais. 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 . We also speak in favor of the Red Ribbon campaign and drug awareness. We did not meet on the street. Following Camarena's murder, 37-year-old Mika moved back to California with her three sons. Netflix introduces actor Michael Pea as Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena in season one of Narcos: Mexico. Now, schools in Chula Vista and Calexico Camarenas hometown bear his name. Their three children were only aged 11, 6 and 4 at the time. In 2019, the Mexican government increased the number of people who have disappearedduring the war on drug trafficking to60,053. The couple had lived there for four years because of his work for the DEA, which involved trailing Mexican marijuana and cocaine drug traffickers. The inclusion of a link on this website does not constitute an official endorsement, guarantee, or approval by DEA. 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. I'm not asking anything from the president. On the other hand, Enrique has proudly followed his fathers footsteps. Enrique is now a deputy district attorney. It was a very big question, because it took me five years to meet him. The organization offers life-size bronze busts of Kiki to be unveiled at schools and libraries in San Diego and across the country. Mika Camarena was born in Fresno in the year 1948. It organizes various activities and events as a part of it. Read More: Narcos: Mexico Filming Locations. 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. The first National Red Ribbon Week was created by the National Family Partnership in 1988, and NFP continues to coordinate the campaign for families, schools and communities across the nation each year. He has lost vision in one of his eyes and is deaf in his left ear. Flix Gallardo: I've never thought about escaping. 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. We will be seeking his immediate extradition to the United States so he can be tried for these crimes in the very justice system Special Agent Camarena died defending.. When Kiki was abducted in Mexico, he was tortured and brutally murdered by drug traffickers. It was too late by then; Caro Quintero was spirited off in a waiting vehicle. The Camarena Foundation also supports Red Ribbon week for drug awareness each year. 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. 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. 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. The Camarena murder never made any sense to me. Mika Camarena lives in her home in Chula Vista, California. Through the enforcement of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), trained agents traveled to the many narcotics hubs, mostly in Central and South America, to enforce anti-drug and trafficking laws. That never happened. Few traces remain of the man who during the 1980s was considered one of the most powerful criminal leaders in the world. [I was] with my family. In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped in Guadalajara, allegedly on orders from Caro Quintero. With President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador's amnesty for inmates over 75 years of age, do you hope to benefit from that measure? The Netflix series Narcos: Mexico centers around a Mexican drug cartels murder and torture of Kiki Camarena, a federal narcotics agent for the United States. Camarena is pictured here in his high school basketball uniform. DEA Narcos: Mexico Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix now, . I grab a little bit from one supervisor, I grab a little bit from another, and added on to me to become who I am today, he said, as his former colleagues in the district attorneys office nodded appreciatively along with his family and friends. The money goes toward scholarships. Youve learned a lot from people in this job. After her husband's death, she worked to honor his legacy, starting Red Ribbon Week in his name, and now serves as the president of the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation. 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. 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 . Ambassador Ken Salazar told a gathering of reporters there had been progress in the security relationship. 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. I have half my body paralyzed,said Flix Gallardo, 75, the co-founder of the Guadalajara cartel, one of the first drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. And thats what Ive been doing up until yesterday. I'm not hoping. That doctor was a real person although he denies involvement. My parents were the first to export legumes to the United States in 1942. Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo (born January 8, 1946), commonly referred to by his aliases El Jefe de Jefes ("The Boss of Bosses") and El Padrino ("The Godfather"), is a convicted Mexican drug lord.He was one of the founders of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1970s. 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. 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.". In 1988, she met with President Reagan (pictured above) and First Lady, Nancy, to raise awareness about drug abuse, per theDEA. Camarena said, You know, I think about him every day. Full Context. 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. 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 . I used to take my children to school. 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. Because of this, he was scheduled to be moved to another assignment in 1985. He told me very little because he didnt want me to worry. Geneva 'Mika' Camarena was born in 1948 near Fresno, California, and was raised in Calexico, a city in Imperial County, California. His tortured body was found a month later. One of the men threw a jacket over Kiki's head, and the driver sped away. Warning: Because the real story so closely tracks the fictional one, this article will contain spoilers for Narcos: Mexico. They will just kill you in front of everyone in broad daylight at a coffee shop. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Quite the opposite, I hope he succeeds. 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. His and his pilot's body were later unearthed at a remote ranch, The New York Times reported. First Lady Nancy Reagan later turned Red Ribbon . After his death, she focused on raising her three kids and worked hard as a skin-care consultant. Hes been in custody since 1989, however. ", But, Duarte said, Caro Quintero is only part (of the conflict), the conflict doesn't end.. He is also a judge for the Superior Court of San Diego County. 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. Drug trafficking has raised the levels of violence and conflict in Mexico. Though she keeps a private Instagram account, her Facebook page has various updates of events from her life. The Enrique S. Camarena Foundation received the full support of her husband's colleagues and her oldest son, Enrique Jr. Now . 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 . Flix Gallardo: I'm not expecting that. 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. Late Friday, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed the U.S. government's deep gratitude to Mexican authorities for Caro Quintero's arrest and offered condolences for the Mexican military personnel who died in the helicopter crash. 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. Son, Brother, Husband, Father, US Marine, DEA Agent. Registered as a Republican, Camarenas job and family history has naturally solidified his anti-drugs stance. Camarena was survived by his widow, Geneva (also known as Mika), and their three children. Whats the true story? 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. Enrique S. 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