The former DEA agent Kiki Camarenas death has been a testimony to the violent and political nature of drug cartels that form the backbone of the manufacturing and distribution of illegal drugs. 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. They seem to maintain low profiles and dont have an over social media presence. After his discharge, he briefly had a stint working as a fireman before . Flix Gallardo, 75, the co-founder of the Guadalajara cartel, he was re-sentenced to 37 years for Camarena's murder. The first question was why, after so many years, he had decided to grant an interview. Flix Gallardo: That I wish her comfort. The DEA also kept her informed about the developments regarding punishing the people responsible for Kiki's death. 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. That was more than 36 years ago. Survivors benefits were raised after Kikis death, so my childrens education was paid for.. 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. 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. People who know me know I'm not a fan of #twitter for so many reasons. Hes been in custody since 1989, however. I lost everything: I lost sensitivity, my hearing, my eyesight," said the man known as "The Boss of Bosses," while complaining of the health ailments that have plagued him in recent years. 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. 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. According to The Los Angeles Times, Camarenas murder led to the fall of Gallardo and his close associates and the fracturing of their cartel. Like in the show, Gallardo was arrested by Guillermo Gonzalez Calderoni (played by Julio Cesar Cedillo).. She went on to raise her three boys alone. "That's a lifetime for a man who didn't commit a crime.". In 1956, Kiki moved with his family to Calexico, California. As he lay dying, a cartel doctor was ordered to keep him alert by administering drugs.. Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo: Im not going to talk about because they've treated us poorly. The DFS agents then took Camarena, blindfolded and held at gunpoint, to one of Caro-Quintero's haciendas five miles away. My life expectancy is nonexistent. 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. 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. 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. I received a plastic bag over my head to suffocate me. Enrique Camarena Jr. was just 11 when his father was killed by cartel members. They messed up my hearing. . She presides over the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation set up in 2004. 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. In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and then executed. Her eldest son Enrique became a deputy district attorney in 2014, working in the South Bay. Today, the eight-day celebration is an annual catalyst to show intolerance for drugs in our schools, workplaces, and communities. The site was in the mountains near Sinaloa's border with the northern border state of Chihuahua. Soon after, they got hitched and had three sons Enrique Jr., Daniel, and Erik. During his acceptance speech, he thanked everyone who had been part of the learning process, making him the person he is now. I was beaten and pulled out in less than a minute, and I suffered four broken ribs. Amazon Prime's 'The Last Narc' details the horrific account of DEA agent Enrique S "Kiki" Camarena Salazar's abduction and murder by the Mexican drug lords at Guadalajara and the ensuing investigation that followed. 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. 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. 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. JALISCO, Mexico Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo appeared in a wheelchair in the maximum security area of the Puente Grande state prison, in Jalisco. 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. 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. 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. He is also a judge for the Superior Court of San Diego County. One of those hundreds of agents was DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. 'Narcos: Mexico' tells the story of real-life DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who was abducted in Guadalajara in the 1980s. 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. Consisting of four one-hour segments, it will be the most fascinating drug-war documentary you will ever watch. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. She has constantly been out in public, creating awareness by talking about eliminating drug abuse and its market. Mika met Kiki Camarena in high school, and that is where the two fell in love. 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. Camarena was survived by his widow, Geneva (also known as Mika), and their three children. 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. In Narcos: Mexico, Mika Camarena is depicted as a loyal and loving wife to DEA agent Kiki Camarena. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. 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. I had stomach surgery. Shortly before Caro Quintero's arrest Friday, U.S. His initial trial was the longest in Mexican history, lasting more than 28 years until his conviction in 2017 for the murders of Camarena and Mexican pilot Alfredo Zavala Avelar. After he graduated from high school, he joined the Marine Corps. 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. 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 . Noticias Telemundo: How has your life been in prison? Though she keeps a private Instagram account, her Facebook page has various updates of events from her life. In addition, it takes the added responsibility of commemorating those who have been a victim of fighting illegal drug trades. 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. 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. There is no hiding place for anyone who kidnaps, tortures, and murders American law enforcement, he said in a statement. Powered by. Because of this, he was scheduled to be moved to another assignment in 1985. (You can see photos of the real people behind the Narcos: Mexico characters here.) And I'm going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way.". The work he performed had never been done at that level. Camarena dedicated his life to helping others before he was brutally tortured and killed in . Drug dealers don't blindfold and record interrogations to kill someone. 1985-1990#KikiCamarena #Mexico #DrugCartelFor Educational Purposes. 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. 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. She has worked as an insurance clerk and as an office clerk for the Calexico Municipal Court. The organization offers life-size bronze busts of Kiki to be unveiled at schools and libraries in San Diego and across the country. 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. The Camarena murder never made any sense to me. NARCOS: MEXICO Official Trailer "Agent Kiki Camarena" (HD) Michael Pena Series, SUBSCRIBE for more TV Trailers HERE: goo.gl/TL21HZ He gave his life for his work. Watch on. Mika Camarena and her future husband, Kiki Camarena, both grew up in the city of Calexico, California. The men in question were working under the orders of the big wigs of the Guadalajara cartel. There had been tensions between the Mexican government and the DEA after Mexico enacted a law limiting the U.S. agency's operations. A navy Blackhawk helicopter carrying 15 people crashed near the coastal city of Los Mochis during the operation, killing 14 of those aboard, the navy statement said. Mika Camarena continues to honor her former husbands legacy through the foundations work. In other words, we led a family life. Kikis kids are all grown up. A retired skin care consultant, Mika now focuses even more of her time on running the foundation. Michael Pea plays DEA Agent Enrique Kiki Camarena in Season 1 of Narcos: Mexico. All rights reserved, San Diego and California's COVID-19 Emergency Declarations Expire Tuesday. 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. However, she recently received unprecedented media attention after Netflix produced the crime-drama series 'Narcos: Mexico' in 2018, which depicted the tragic story of her husband. But if you just want to watch The Last Narc only, that is sufficient. Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. Flix Gallardo: It is a very sad subject. Ernesto Don Neto Fonseca and Rafael Caro Quintero were other cartel leaders involved. They are old men living humble, ordinary lives in . What relationship did you have with Caro Quintero and Fonseca Carrillo? He worked locally. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . And Im going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way., Camarena, much like his father, is a peoples person. 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 money goes toward scholarships. Camarena held other positions in law enforcement before joining the DEA. According to El Pais, Camarenas skull, jaw, nose and cheekbones were crushed with a tire iron. Not much is known about Erik or Daniel. All three series tell the story of Kiki Camarena, a 37-year-old DEA agent assigned to work in Mexico during the 1980s. She told the newspaper, Since retiring as a skin-care consultant, I can spend more time as president of the foundation. 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. Everyone knows that when you kill a cop or a judge, the entire wrath of the state is going to come crashing down on you. Gallardo was sentenced to 37 years in 2017 for the death of Camarena by a Mexican court (as well as the murder of Alfredo Zavala, a Mexican pilot), according to The Times. He spent four years in Mexico tracking the countrys drug dealers (the drugs of choice were marijuana and cocaine back then.). 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. The CIA has denied the allegations. N arcos: Mexico 's first two seasons revolve around the 1985 murder of undercover DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, who was abducted . Mika Camarena was born in Fresno in the year 1948. I am not thinking of freedom. That will get you better set for watching The Last Narc. Each year, on October 23-31, more than 80 million . My life expectancy is very low, as you can see. A locked padlock Dont give up the war. They then forcibly brought him to the United States to stand trial in federal district court. And that is what he didin life and through his death. 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. He spoke about it, saying, Its morphed into something else; I have to oversee everything now. I'm not aware why they've linked me to that crime. The biggest death in Narcos: Mexico Season 1 was certainly Michael Pea's character, DEA Agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena. Three leaders of the Guadalajara drug cartel were eventually convicted in Mexico for Camarena's murder. 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. Throughout the year, Mika herself visits schools and communities across the country to share her story and speak on the importance of drug awareness. Holes had been drilled in his head, his skull had . NBC 7's Rory Devine has more. Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena, 37, was abducted, tortured and killed in 1985 while working with the DEA in Mexico . They were mostly guys in their early 30s who had joined the DEA with the patriotic aim of winning the war on drugs. Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. So, why would drug dealers go after and kill Camarena, a fairly low-level drug agent? The available information indicated it suffered an accident, the cause of which had not yet been determined, the statement said. As Kiki walked to his truck, he was approached by five men who shoved him into a beige Volkswagen. We are deeply grateful to Mexican authorities for their capture and arrest . She graduated from Imperial Valley College. That doctor was a real person although he denies involvement. This thing, with the bacteria [Covid-19] has severely affected Mexicans' purchasing power, but this man is of goodwill and I hope God will help him. Camarena was abducted by corrupt officers on behalf of the cartel in Guadalajara, Mexico, in February 1985. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 Distractify. It took five years and four months to face him. 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 four-part cartel docuseries The Last Narc is set to premiere on Prime on May 15. Distractify is a registered trademark. Camarena was also the father of three sons. 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. He continues the legacy of justice within the family. 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. Do you identify with the character that appears in the series? For more than 30 hours, Caro-Quintero and others interrogated Camarena and . However, Enrique is realistic and recognized how his duties would be different in the new role. But, Kiki told her no. Kiki Camarena's son, Enrique Camarena is now a judge in California after serving as a deputy district attorney for years. Low profiles and dont have an over social media presence in 1956, Kiki moved with his to. Been a victim of fighting illegal drug trades 's murder enforcement before the... 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