| Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar | |
|---|---|
| July 26, 1947 – February 9, 1985 (aged 37) | |
 Enrique Camarena |
|
| Place of death | Mexico |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1972-1974 |
| Other work | Drug Enforcement Administration |
Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (July 26, 1947 - c. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA) is a United States Department of Justice Law enforcement agency tasked with combating drug smuggling and Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. February 9, 1985) was an undercover agent for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA) is a United States Department of Justice Law enforcement agency tasked with combating drug smuggling and
Biography
In 1972, Camarena joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served for two years. He then joined the DEA at their Calexico, California office. Calexico is a city in Imperial County, California, United States. In 1977, Camarena moved to their Fresno office, and in 1981 he was assigned to the agency's Guadalajara, Jalisco office in Mexico. Guadalajara (ˌgwɑːdləˈhɑːrə Spanish pronunciation) is the capital city of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Camarena had also worked as a firefighter and police investigator before joining the DEA in Calexico. Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous Fires that threaten civilian populations and property to rescue people from car accidents collapsed Police are agents or agencies usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order through the legitimatized use of force
Camarena's work became famous all over the United States and Latin America before he died. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the He infiltrated drug trafficking bands and successfully helped break up many of them. He managed to keep his face off the newspapers and other media despite the fact his name was well known.
One of the drug trafficking groups he was trying to break up was able to identify him as an undercover agent. On February 7, 1985, he was kidnapped in broad daylight on a street in Guadalajara, and was tortured and bludgeoned to death soon after. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Although his body was found on March 5, he may have been killed about one month before that: pathologists who examined his body believed the actual date of death was more likely around February 9. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Drug lords used a Mexican physician to bring Camarena back, time after time, during the cruel torture regime.
Camarena's legend grew even more after his death: several movies about him were produced in Mexico, and, in November 1988, Time magazine had him on their cover. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and A 1990 U. S television mini-series about Camarena, starring Treat Williams and Steven Bauer, was produced (Drug Wars: The Camarena Story) which has an unofficial record of the events that occurred. A miniseries (also mini-series) in a serial Storytelling medium is a production which tells a story in a pre-planned limited number of episodes Treat Williams (born December 1, 1951) is an American actor who has appeared on film stage and television over the course of his prolific career Steven Bauer (born December 2, 1956) is a Golden Globe -nominated American Actor. Drug Wars The Camarena Story was a 1990 TV Mini-series based on Elaine Shannon’s book Desperados and the Time magazine
He received numerous awards while with the DEA, and, after his death, he posthumously received the Administrator's Award of Honor, the highest award given by the organization. In Fresno, CA, the DEA hosts a yearly golf tournament named after him. The Nationwide "Red Ribbon Campaign" which teaches school kids to avoid drug use, was started in his memory.
The History Channel show "Heroes Under Fire" had a show about his plight.
The United States government pursued a lengthy investigation of Camarena's murder: due to the difficulty of extraditing Mexican citizens, the DEA went as far as to have two suspects, Humberto Álvarez Machaín, the physician who allegedly prolonged Camarena's life so the torture could continue, and Javier Vásquez Velasco, kidnapped and taken into the United States. Despite vigorous protests from the Mexican government, Álvarez was tried in United States District Court in Los Angeles; the trial resulted in an acquittal. The United States district courts are the general Trial courts of the United States federal court system. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Vásquez was arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder and sentenced to three life sentences. It is widely acknowledged the DEA agents arrested the latter suspect with very little tangible evidence that could be used, the actual tape recording of the torture of Camarena never being released to the DEA by Mexico.
Enrique Camarena was survived by a wife and three sons. One of his sons, Enrique Jr. , graduated from USC Law School in 1998 and works as a prosecutor in San Diego County. He also tours the country lecturing about his father's life.
See also
References
Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol tobacco and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually every October 23rd-31st The Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA) is a United States Department of Justice Law enforcement agency tasked with combating drug smuggling andDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic