His mother even tried to talk him out of it. 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 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. However, she grew up in Calexico. 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. Netflix introduces actor Michael Pea as Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena in season one of Narcos: Mexico. He was born on July 26, 1947, in the small town of Mexicali in Baja California. Who was the real Kiki Camarena? 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. Each year we issue six scholarships to high school seniors throughout the nation. And that is what he didin life and through his death. He was a police officer, and then he became part of the DEA. "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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. "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 . He decided not to become a police officer because his dad thought it was too dangerous, according to NBC San Diego, which quoted him as saying, 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., Judge Enrique Camarena Jr. is speaking to @MSASanDiego 6th Graders. 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 . He was about to expose the operation when he was kidnapped on February 7 while he went to have lunch with his wife, Mika. . What did you do before you were arrested? 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 A family photo featuring their three sons -- Enrique, Daniel, and Eric. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Narcos: Mexico shows the growth of the Guadalajara Cartel, pieced together by Felix Gallardo out of warring factions. However, she feels that changes in the DEA did help in a significant way after her husband's death, as her children's education was paid for by the amount raised for survivors' benefit. Since her husband's death, she has become an activist and advocates drug awareness among the youth. I know that the president is a man of goodwill. 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 Of course, everyone believes in miracles, but only for my grandkids. According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the couple met at Calexico High School in Calexico, California, and became high-school sweethearts. And so for me, its still a little bit about the legacy of duty. Many things have been said about Flix Gallardo that he was a businessman with a lot of money in Guadalajara and that politicians, governors and public officials attended his parties. However, he would make a fatal mistake, and season 2 deals with the aftermath of it: The murder of Camarena, and how the DEA responded to it. Ambassador Ken Salazar told a gathering of reporters there had been progress in the security relationship. Flix Gallardo: It is a very sad subject. His death stunned the nation and forever changed the war. The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. In later years, DEA agent James Kuykendall, who was Camarenas supervisor in Guadalajara, has spoken out about the CIA and the Kiki Camarena murder. 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. Camarena's casket is returned to the U.S. after his murder. Camarena was abducted by corrupt officers on behalf of the cartel in Guadalajara, Mexico, in February 1985. The foundation was formed in . She was educated at Calexico High School and later attended Imperial Valley College. Updated Nov 26, 2018 at 11:48pm. Why kidnap and torture him also? In an. This doesnt seem to have stopped her as she went ahead to form the, Mika worked as a skincare consultant in the years after the incident. The program has worked with many schools nationwide, sharing Kiki Camarena's story, and the harms of using drugs. Camarena held other positions in law enforcement before joining the DEA. Mika, who serves as the president of the organization, often took part in talks about drug awareness in schools and communities nationwide despite her longtime job as a skin-care consultant. 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. Flix Gallardo: Since I havent made a mistake, I have nothing to repent. Camarena poses with Mexican law enforcement. October 26, 2021. He was on the FBIs most wanted list, with a $20 million reward for his capture through the State Departments Narcotics Rewards Program. I received a plastic bag over my head to suffocate me. That was more than 36 years ago. However, one rarely stops to wonder about the personal cost of the agents death to his family. She dedicates her time to promoting drug awareness in schools and communities nationwide.. They don't let us have visitors, no phone booths, no lawyers. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . Full Context. Snow, Rain and Wind in the Forecast Yet Again. As a member of the legal community, Enrique often gives speeches and addresses in colleges. Biography [] Early life []. DEA In 2004, she founded the Enrique Camarena Foundation, where she is the current president. In 2020 alone, a total of 34,515 homicides were registered. Kuykendall is quoted in the book Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs, and the Press by Alexander Cockburn. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. It took five years and four months to face him. Was he really abducted? Ten of the informants were eyewitnesses to the kidnapping and murder of Kiki Camarena. It was an afternoon, at the beginning of August, and he was coming from the prisons medical ward. 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. Why were you linked to this murder? 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. Image source. 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. In a talk, she, In an interview, she also spoke of the changes that have come out in the aftermath of her husbands death. The work he performed had never been done at that level. But the arrest came just days after Lpez Obrador met with U.S. President Joe Biden in the White House. They will just kill you in front of everyone in broad daylight at a coffee shop. Camarena opens the show in a scene that shows hes been abducted. JALISCO, Mexico Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo appeared in a wheelchair in the maximum security area of the Puente Grande state prison, in Jalisco. The DEA also kept her informed about the developments regarding punishing the people responsible for Kiki's death. These people and I have never chatted. 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. He eventually became one of the godfathers of Mexican drug trafficking. The impact Kikis death has had on the drug war, and by extension, the entire world is undeniable. 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. In 2004, she established the Enrique S. Camarena Educational Foundation with the help of several retired DEA agents, as well as her son Enrique. Few traces remain of the man who during the 1980s was considered one of the most powerful criminal leaders in the world. They still seem to be together as she has not changed her status. An appeals court overturned Caro Quinteros verdict in 2013, but the Supreme Court upheld the sentence. 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. 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. 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 . What would you like to do if you were to regain your freedom one day? 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. He has lost all hope that he will be released and believes he will die in prison. (You can see photos of the real people behind the Narcos: Mexico characters here.) 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. 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. In various judicial and academic investigations, Flix Gallardo was closely linked to the beginning of the large drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. In an interview, regarding the same, she said: I want the truth to be out. The money goes toward scholarships. 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. 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. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The agents now have better protection. Offers may be subject to change without notice. One of the men threw a jacket over Kiki's head, and the driver sped away. Flix Gallardo: I never met that person. Shortly before Caro Quintero's arrest Friday, U.S. I had come to know several of the DEA agents in Laredo. [I was] with my family. The Amazon Prime series provides the real backstory of what . 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. Rafael Caro Quintero walked free while serving a 40-year sentence for the torture-murder of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985 and has since apparently . Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. His and his pilot's body were later unearthed at a remote ranch, The New York Times reported. He blamed Camarena for a raid on a marijuana plantation in 1984. 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. So if we werent welcome here in Mexico that wouldnt happen.. . There was my daughter, my son. Kiki Camarena, the DEA agent that Dr. Delgado is accused of helping torture in Narcos Mexico Season 2. Warning: Because the real story so closely tracks the fictional one, this article will contain spoilers for Narcos: Mexico. Kiki and his wife Mika are pictured here on their wedding day. She graduated from Imperial Valley . 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! Cartels have never existed in Guadalajara. Your strong efforts, he said, knowing better than anyone I hadn't stopped insisting during all these years. You were sentenced to almost 40 years in prison for the murder of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. He also was an adjunct professor at the University of Dallas, where he taught law and economics. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, abducted off the street in Guadalajara while serving in Mexico, tortured and killed. His family knew that being a Special Agent could be very dangerous. Holes had been drilled in his head, his skull had . In arrivo prossimamente su #PrimeVideo #AmazonOriginal, A post shared by Prime Video Italia (@primevideoit) on May 13, 2020 at 8:30am PDT. The Times noted that the bodies appeared to have been tortured and were found near a ranch in Michoacan state. The couple had lived there for four years because of his work for the DEA, which involved trailing Mexican marijuana and cocaine drug traffickers. 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. On the other hand, Enrique has proudly followed his fathers footsteps. During his time in Mexico, Camarena came dangerously close to exposing top leaders of a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline in the country. At this point, nothing would surprise me. She also said that the prosecutors and agents working on the case, notified it to her after which there have been no further updates. Because of your relentless efforts! 1985 - Camarena's Death. 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. In 1956, Kiki moved with his family to Calexico, California. 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. ", But, Duarte said, Caro Quintero is only part (of the conflict), the conflict doesn't end.. Listen to article. Kiki became a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1974. 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. In 1981, the entire Camarena family left Fresno, California for Guadalajara, Mexico where Camarena was assigned. 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.". Freedom one day in Calexico, California for Guadalajara, Mexico, in the security relationship one stops! Season one of the real people behind the Narcos: Mexico the Narcos: Mexico several of the Cartel Guadalajara. Mother even tried to talk him out of warring factions communities nationwide front everyone. With the drug enforcement Administration ( DEA ) in 1974 and later attended Imperial Valley.... 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