Enrique Camarena

Infobox Military Person
name=Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar
born= birth date|1947|7|26
died= death date and age|1985|2|9|1947|7|26


caption= Enrique Camarena
nickname=
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath= Mexico
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Marine Corps
serviceyears=1972-1974
rank=
unit=
commands=
battles=
awards=
relations=
laterwork=Drug Enforcement Administration

Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (July 26, 1947 - c. February 9, 1985) was an undercover agent for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.

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. In 1977, Camarena moved to their Fresno office, and in 1981 he was assigned to the agency's Guadalajara, Jalisco office in Mexico. Camarena had also worked as a firefighter and police investigator before joining the DEA in Calexico.

Camarena's work became famous all over the United States and Latin America before he died. 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. 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.

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. Vásquez was arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder and sentenced to three life sentences.

Agent Camarena 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.

Enrique Camarena is survived by his wife Mika and their three sons.

Honoring DEA Agent Camarena

In 2004, the [http://www.camarenafoundation.org/index.htm Enrique S. Camarena Foundation] was established in Kiki's memory. Mika and Enrique Jr. serve on the all volunteer Board of Directors together with former DEA Agents, law enforcement personnel, family and friends of Agent Camarena, and others who share their commitment to alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence prevention.

Telling the Kiki Camarena Story

Several movies about Agent Camarena were produced in Mexico. In November 1988, "Time" magazine featured Agent Camarena on the cover. A 1990 U.S television mini-series about Camarena, starring Treat Williams and Steven Bauer, was produced ("") an unofficial record of the events that occurred.

In 2005, the History Channel produced a documentary entitled [http://store.aetv.com/html/product/index.jhtml?id=74818#details Heroes Under Fire: Righteous Vendetta] that chronicles the events. It also features interviews with family members, DEA agents and others involved in the investigation.

Most recently, [http://www.silverorlead.com/ ¿O Plata O Plomo? The abduction and murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena] was written by DEA Resident Agent in Charge James H. Kuykendall (Ret.)

ee also

*Red Ribbon Week
*Drug Enforcement Administration

References

* [http://www.dea.gov/agency/10bios.htm DEA Biography of Camarena]