She continues her mission to combat the societal effects of drugs in her late husband's honor. I'm a corpse who's only looking forward to being buried next to a tree. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. This doesnt seem to have stopped her as she went ahead to form the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation in 2004. 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. I don't know if that's changed now. Mika, a former skin-care consultant, worked throughout her life to raise drug awareness across the . 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. 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 raised in California, graduating from Calexico High School in Calexico, California in 1966. On the day of his abduction, Camarena was supposed to meet up with his wife, but she would never see him again. And I'm ready for it.". 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. It was a very big question, because it took me five years to meet him. 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. The DEA Museum presents: "Remembering Kiki: Through the Eyes of his Family, Friends, & Colleagues". 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. That was the last time anyone but his kidnappers would see him alive, reveals the DEA, adding that he likely died two days later. . Her husband, Kiki Camarena became a DEA agent after he served as a police officer for several years. Kikis kids are all grown up. After his discharge, he briefly had a stint working as a fireman before . Stop adding to the list! Her eldest son Enrique became a deputy district attorney in 2014, working in the South Bay. It was too late by then; Caro Quintero was spirited off in a waiting vehicle. 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). President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador has maintained that he is not interested in detaining drug lords and prefers to avoid violence. He spoke about it, saying, Its morphed into something else; I have to oversee everything now. Kidnapped February 7, 1985 and tortured and subsequently Murdered within 2 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. He has lost vision in one of his eyes and is deaf in his left ear. "It's been 32 years," he said. His tortured body was found a month later. Flix Gallardo: I'm not expecting that. After his death, she focused on raising her three kids and worked hard as a skin-care consultant. 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. That doctor was a real person although he denies involvement. You have spent many years in prison. The impact Kikis death has had on the drug war, and by extension, the entire world is undeniable. 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. Your strong efforts, he said, knowing better than anyone I hadn't stopped insisting during all these years. Youve learned a lot from people in this job. It all started with one man. 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. The Camarena murder never made any sense to me. The available information indicated it suffered an accident, the cause of which had not yet been determined, the statement said. 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. 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. I'm not hoping. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Soon after, they got hitched and had three sons . And the nation mourned the loss of a hero. 'Narcos: Mexico' tells the story of real-life DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who was abducted in Guadalajara in the 1980s. 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. He went on to serve as the deputy district attorney in the Office of the District Attorney of San Diego from 1999 to 2014. 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 took five years and four months to face him. Camarena opens the show in a scene that shows hes been abducted. Mika Camarena and her future husband, Kiki Camarena, both grew up in the city of Calexico, California. The Reagan Administration predictably freaked out and exercised its power. The murder of DEA agent Enrique Camarena in 1985 is being further investigated. 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. Today, Fonseca is on house arrest, and Caro Quintera was "released . Mika Camarena was born in Fresno in the year 1948. According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the couple met at Calexico High School in Calexico, California, and became high-school sweethearts. 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. Brown was sworn in. And that is what he didin life and through his death. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. Mika Camarena continues to honor her former husbands legacy through the foundations work. Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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. in order to understand why the drug war continues today, they had to trace . The work he performed had never been done at that level. In 1985, Camarena was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and then executed. The four-part series, released in July, tells the true story of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a special agent with the DEA, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1985. Kiki and his wife Mika are pictured here on their wedding day. Mika Camarena, whose given name is Geneva Camarena, was high school sweethearts with Kiki. The first question was why, after so many years, he had decided to grant an interview. 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. Each year, on October 23-31, more than 80 million . An appeals court overturned Caro Quinteros verdict in 2013, but the Supreme Court upheld the sentence. Whats the true story? Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. 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. However, Enriques moment to shine truly came in 2014, when he was sworn in as the latest San Diego Superior Court judge. October 26, 2021. Ambassador Ken Salazar told a gathering of reporters there had been progress in the security relationship. Mika Camarena was born in Fresno in the year 1948. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. Throughout the 1980s, the cartel controlled much of the drug trafficking in Mexico and the corridors along the Mexico-United . He was one of eight children and was about nine years old when he moved to Calexico, California. Why kidnap and torture him also? Despite the War on Drugs launching in the 1970s, it didn't hit full steam until the '80s. JALISCO, Mexico Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo appeared in a wheelchair in the maximum security area of the Puente Grande state prison, in Jalisco. They messed up my eyesight. According to El Pais, Camarenas skull, jaw, nose and cheekbones were crushed with a tire iron. And revealing as well! And Im going to be serving my county, serving this community in a different way., Kiki Camarena spent three years in Calexico for the DEA before he was assigned to the agencys Fresno office and then to Mexico, where he worked out of its office in Guadalajara. He told me very little because he didnt want me to worry. Dont give it up because theyll win. Narcos: Mexico Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix now, . The brutal murder marked a low point in U.S.-Mexico relations. It organizes various activities and events as a part of it. On August 30, 2021, Dora Camarena Soto, the mother of famous DEA agent Kiki Camerena, passed away at the age of 97. 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. In 2019, the Mexican government increased the number of people who have disappearedduring the war on drug trafficking to60,053. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Not much is known about Erik or Daniel. And Im ready for it.. According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the couple met at Calexico High School in Calexico, California, and became high-school sweethearts. 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. His mother even tried to talk him out of it. He worked locally. 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. He was added to the FBIs top 10 most wanted list in 2018. Mika moved back to California from Mexico with her sons following Camarenas death. Camarena received many awards and is considered an American hero. On the other hand, Enrique has proudly followed his fathers footsteps. 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. Throughout the year, Mika herself visits schools and communities across the country to share her story and speak on the importance of drug awareness. A retired skin care consultant, Mika now focuses even more of her time on running the foundation. Camarena earned a BA from the prestigious Dartmouth College before securing his JD from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law. Since I had represented some people involved in drug prosecutions in federal court in my hometown of Laredo, I was thunderstruck when I heard about the Camarena case. 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. Camarena was abducted by corrupt officers on behalf of the cartel in Guadalajara, Mexico, in February 1985. He was born on July 26, 1947, in the small town of Mexicali in Baja California. She has worked as an insurance clerk and as an office clerk for the Calexico Municipal Court. Where is she today? But, Kiki told her no. Flix Gallardo was 28 when he was first sentenced by a judge in Jalisco. In 1985, I was practicing law in Texas. I also owned some drugstores and two old hotels. As he lay dying, a cartel doctor was ordered to keep him alert by administering drugs.. In later years, DEA agent James Kuykendall, who was Camarenas supervisor in Guadalajara, has spoken out about the CIA and the Kiki Camarena murder. And if the cop or the judge happen to be U.S. federal agents or a federal judge, youre going to have the full force of the U.S. government being brought to bear on you. I know that the president is a man of goodwill. The bottom line: Gallardo went way too far by targeting Camarena. I never met that man. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mika-camarena-43123.php. Kiki gave his life in the fight against drugs, and the public wanted to do something to remember the ultimate sacrifice that he paid. This Mr. Camarena, whoever they were, whoever did it, the perpetrators and masterminds are behind bars; they've paid with their lives in prison, and they've had a very rough time. 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 . For more than 30 hours, Caro-Quintero and others interrogated Camarena and . Kiki and his mother, Dora Salazar-Camarena. He eventually became one of the godfathers of Mexican drug trafficking. But during this time, Geneva Camarena was also speaking tirelessly at school anti-drug events. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Noticias Telemundo: How has your life been in prison? Mika has become a major advocate for drug awareness across the U.S., keeping her late husband's memory alive. Ernesto Don Neto Fonseca and Rafael Caro Quintero were other cartel leaders involved. Flix Gallardo: Since I havent made a mistake, I have nothing to repent. 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. Enrique is now a deputy district attorney. 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. 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. 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.. She said: those in the DEA headquarters learned quite a bit from this. Why were you linked to this murder? 31, 2020 3:11AM ET. During his acceptance speech, he thanked everyone who had been part of the learning process, making him the person he is now. Mika Camarena meets with President Ronald Reagan at the White House. Its now showing on Amazon Prime. Consisting of four one-hour segments, it will be the most fascinating drug-war documentary you will ever watch. He was also a veteran, having joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1968, according to a DEA biography of him. 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. As Kiki walked to his truck, he was approached by five men who shoved him into a beige Volkswagen. Camarena was also the father of three sons. We also speak in favor of the Red Ribbon campaign and drug awareness. Camarena is pictured here in his high school basketball uniform. 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. His left arm was in a cast because he fell a few weeks ago. My parents were the first to export legumes to the United States in 1942. They were high school sweethearts and continued their relationship after he began working as a firefighter and then joined the police in Calexico. 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. As you can see, I can't walk. Her husband, Kiki Camarena, was High School in Calexico, California, graduating from High... 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