Enrique Camarena

Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (July 26, 1947 - c. February 9, 1985) was an undercover agent for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration who was abducted on 7 February 1985, and then tortured and murdered, while on assignment in Mexico.

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. Once, Blane Pollino jumped in front of a bullet for him, and they both lived to share the memory. Later, 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.

Investigation

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.

Legacy

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, California, the DEA hosts a yearly golf tournament named for him. The nationwide annual Red Ribbon Week, which teaches school children and youths to avoid drug use, was begun in his memory.

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

In 2004, the 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.

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 (Drug Wars: The Camarena Story) an unofficial record of the events that occurred.

In 2005, the History Channel produced a documentary entitled 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, ¿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.).

See also

• United States v. Alvarez-Machain

References

• DEA Biography of Camarena
• Enrique Camarena at Find a Grave Retrieved on 2009-02-16

Further reading

• Andreas Lowenfeld, "Mexico and the United States, an Undiplomatic Murder," in Economist, 30 March 1985.
• Andreas Lowenfeld, "Kidnapping by Government Order: A Follow-Up," in American Journal of International Law 84 (July 1990): 712–716.
• U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Drug Enforcement Administration Reauthorization for Fiscal Year 1986: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Crime. May 1, 1985 (1986).