The CIA considers itself above the law which combined with its intelligence expertise and drug money is a major threat to our democracy. The whole case stinks, and if you don't step away you'll stink, too, Hector told LA Weekly. / holy$$$$!" Cartel partner Rafael Caro Quintero in custody in 2005. Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at. The 42-year-old had been at the agency for ten years, spoke Spanish, had an immense undercover experience and had even interacted with Camarena over the phone. He has also been working with Brandon Pender, his long term friend, and business associate. In separate interviews with the El Paso Times, Jordan and Berrellez said they went public because they only recently confirmed allegations of the CIA involvement in the Camarena murder. The story connecting Mexico's infamous Guadalajara Cartel to the United States' top spy agency in the 1980s is not fiction, even if the assertion that the agency helped kill a US drug agent probably is. I fell down a rabbit hole and ended up here, devouring every last punctuation mark of this look into the life of a Bad Ass. The investigation following Camarenas death resulted in numerous convictions of drug lords associated with the Guadalajara Cartel behind Camarenas death. Kiki deserves justice. He received the Federal But obviously, it doesnt look great when a docuseries claiming to reveal an ugly truth about the CIA suddenly becomes inaccessible. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-07-mn-149-story.html, Informant Puts CIA at Ranch of Agents Killer, ByHENRY WEINSTEIN JULY 5, 1990 12 AM TIMES STAFF WRITER. Market data provided by Factset. Unknown Details And Net Worth Of Lewis Hamiltons Brother, Who Are Lewis Hamiltons Parents? The Last Narc was supposed to be his chance to reveal everything. Barbara Baekeland- Shocking Story Of Incest, Adultery, Murder- Everything To Know, Lewis Hamiltons Siblings: Meet His Brother And Two Sisters, Who Is Nicolas Hamilton? From Colombia, he made his way back to Honduras where despite the international warrant for his arrest, he enjoyed a very public life. ", Harrison also said that "representatives of the DFS, which was the front for the training camp, were in fact acting in consort with major drug overlords to ensure a flow of narcotics through Mexico into the United States. In the end, Berrellezs investigation led to no indictments. Celine Dions Siblings: See All Her Brothers, Sisters, Other Family Members, Marguerite Belafonte: Life And Death Of The Actress, Marriage To Harry Belafonte, Other Facts, Top 9 Strongest Naruto Characters That Have Defined The Anime, Alia Rose Teena Maries Daughter Is Also A Singer: 10 Unknown Facts, Who Is Ralph Pittman? Greed is the catalyst of evil. The undated file photo distributed by the Mexican government shows Rafael Caro-Quintero. 4 stars because there are some small issues, like inconsistencies of the text with itself, typos and other. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2020, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2021, The last narc amazing insight into the D.E.A in mexico, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2021, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. His name was Felix Rodrguez. Although Quintero, Carrillo and others were arrested by Mexican authorities for their involvement by the time Berrellez began to investigate, he believed that it went deeper perhaps to the CIA. All Rights Reserved. He was a natural fit for the investigation. He was haunted by what he experienced as a DEA agent, but he never stopped fighting the good fight. As a hero, he dedicated his whole life trying to right the wrongs that he encountered. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. In January of 1989, Hector was chosen to lead Operation Leyenda. Caro Quintero had billions of dollars stashed in secret bank accounts in Luxembourg and in Switzerland, former DEA agent Hector Berrellez told me in a telephone interview. Mika Camarena, in an interview with USA Today, also said U.S. prosecutors and agents told her that they are investigating accounts allegedly tying the DEA official and CIA operative to her husbands death, but did not elaborate. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Plumlee, for instance, says the man he flew to Guatemala did not identify himself. This memoir is excellent!! [5][3] Russell has kept his location a secret, fearing for his safety. In 1974, he was arrested for drug possession there. Thank you Mr. Berrellez for having the courage to share your story and speaking your truth. We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. He is now on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list with a reward of up to $20 million for information leading to his capture. Amazon has encountered an error. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Impact of Illicit Fentanyl Felt on Both Sides of US-Mexico Border, InSight Crime Staff Cited as Experts by International Media, Media Looks to InSight Crime for Ecuador Knowledge, The Venezuela Organized Crime Observatory Continues to Be a Benchmark in the Region. I went through an array of emotions while reading it. Informants told Berrellez that Kiki was stripped to his jockey shorts, blindfolded and subjected to torture-filled interrogations that were captured on audiotape. Its not the first time the American intelligence assets have been accused of having a role in Camarenas demise. Your own government killed Camarena. The details of what really happened to Kiki remain difficult to access even today, more than 30 years later. DEA Agent Hector Berrellez: $8 Billion never seized from Drug Lord who Killed DEA Agent Enrique KIKI Camarena. We've received your submission. Ex-DEA agent Phil Jordan once headed the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC); Hector Berrellez was a DEA supervisor on the case; and Tosh Plumlee was a former CIA contract pilot who worked with SETCO, a Honduran-based airline owned by Honduran drug trafficker Juan Ramon Matta Ballesteros. The most extensive database on organized crime in the Americas. I want the truth to be out, Mika Camarena, Enriques widow, told the outlet. Good 1st person account. San Diego U.S. Attorney William Kennedy disclosed in 1982 that the CIA was trying to block the case against Nazar Haro on grounds that he was a vital intelligence source in Mexico and Central America. This may sound dramatic but if you pay attention to the nuances of Berrellez writing one may understand why. At the time, there was little the world knew about him until he joined the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Prized recruit. Or at least some of their contract workers were there. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Thanks for reaching out. received the prestigious DEA Administrator's Award. It also opened the eyes of many authors and reporters to state that Bellerez may have more informants than the CIA. The Last Narc is a docuseries about the 1985 death of U.S. DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. But will it make a difference to, Fentanyl continues to wreak havoc on both sides of the US-Mexico border, as Mexican security forces continue to seize the, The US trial of Genaro Garca Luna, the architect of Mexico's war on drugs, will seek to prove whether he, This week, InSight Crimes work was cited nine times in a newreportby the Organization of American States (OAS) titled The Impact of Organized Crime on Women,, This week, InSight Crime deputy editor, Juan Diego Posada, was interviewed by theAssociated Pressabout connections between theex-FARC mafiaand Brazilian criminal groups, and, As Ecuadors security crisis worsens, global media outlets have called on InSight Crime to provide expert knowledge on the criminal dynamics fueling the growing criminality.Americas Quarterly cited our work on, InSight Crime senior investigator Douwe den Held was interviewed by Chilean newspaperEl Mercuriothis week. The retired agent, Hector Berrellez, claims a former CIA agent participated in the torture of Camarena in order to find out what the agent knew about U.S. government connections to the drug cartels. .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip. The court overturned this decision in early November,and authorities are searching for Caro Quintero anew. Your story resonates with me. Rodriguez has denied any involvement and claims that the allegations against him are the result of a Cuban intelligence disinformation campaign. There is, however, little documentation to back up the claims of CIA involvement and the statements of the sources are not all rock solid. The DEA and Camarena had been utilizing a series of wiretaps to make sizeable drug busts inside Mexico. Inducing. Amazing insight on not only the investigation, but also to the man conducting it! For a lawman, Berrellez has a colorful literary style, Arms like railroad ties shot out of his white tee, and a sense of humor to go with it probably more appreciated by lawmen or military. "Director of Amazon's 'The Last Narc' had a gun pulled on him during filming", "Did the CIA Torture an Undercover DEA Agent for a Mexican Drug Cartel? We need to make justice., Convicted drug lord, killer freed from prison, MEXICAN OFFICIAL IN 2016: CARO-QUINTERO GETTING BACK INTO DRUG TRADE. [9][10], On December 21, 2020 James Kuykendall, former chief of a DEA field office in Mexico, sued Amazon and the makers of the documentary for falsely claiming he was complicit in the murder of Kiki Camarena. Great read! Fox News Flash top headlines are here. The U.S. has placed him on the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives list. Specifically, it says a CIA asset named Felix Rodriguez -- who famously claims to have presided over the capture and murder of Ernesto "Che" Guevara in Bolivia in 1967 -- brought Matta Ballesteros to Mexico and introduced him to the Guadalajara Cartel for the express purpose of moving cocaine to the United States to fund the Contras. One day, Hector spread 10 photographs across his desk and called in the witnesses one at a time. [5] According to Berrellez, Camarena was killed because he was going to disclose these connections. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-05-mn-131-story.html, On Feb. 9, according to the report, Harrison told DEA agents Hector Berrellez and Wayne Schmidt that the CIA used Mexico's Federal Security Directorate, or DFS, "as a cover, in the event any questions were raised as to who was running the training operation. Enjoy a great reading experience when you borrow the Kindle edition of this book with your Kindle Unlimited membership. Is The Last Narc canceled? As part of this far-fetched narrative, the Show falsely and despicably accuses Plaintiff Kuykendall of complicity in the murder of his close friend and fellow agent, the lawsuit read. An investigation ensued but petered out until Berrellez signed on in 1989, spending four years and some $12 million much of which went toward buying information from snitches. Legal Statement. The Justice Department, when asked by Fox News to respond to the allegations, declined to comment. Also in the mix: corrupt Mexican politicians and, according to sources in the series, CIA agent Felix Rodriguez allegedly there to protect American interests in a tangled web of drugs, money and dirty politics. 'Narcos: Mexico': Is Real-Life Drug Lord Flix Gallardo Alive Today? "Back in the middle 1980s, the DFS, their main role was to protect the drug lords," former DEA agent Hector Berrellez, who led the investigation into Camarena's murder, told Fox News in 2013. These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. ", At some point between 1981 and 1984, Harrison said, "members of the Mexican Federal Judicial Police arrived at the ranch while on a separate narcotics investigation and were confronted by the guerrillas. "Obviously, they were there. [5] During interviews with Camarena's wife, she states that she believes neither the US nor Mexican governments told her the whole truth about her husband's death. But there was one proof, it ended up becoming one of the biggest investigations in the history of DEA. Prior to its release, the documentarys director, Tiller Russell was said to have made 14-year of research about the murder and would live in fear of his life. As you might expect, the conspiracy theories surrounding The Last Narcs suspicious unavailability quickly began swirling online. In 1985, the colonial city was the base for most of the major narcotics traffickers. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Berrellez was a career DEA man by the time he was handed the case. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, the DEA agent murdered in Mexico in 1985. Basically, justice is just that, a word. Thank you Mr. Berrellez for having the courage to Definitely worth purchasing. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating explosive new allegations that a Central Intelligence Agency operative and Drug Enforcement Administration official played a role in the 1985 abduction, torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique Kiki Camarena, a report claims. Please try again. Its good that Berrellez states early on that other people did some of the polishing and editing, because whoever did, know nothing about firearms. In the series, Berrellez claims his efforts were shut down by his DEA bosses after he pieced together details about the CIAs cocaine and gun operation. By the late 1970s, after being released from jail, he had worked his way through the distribution chain and become a key operative of the Guadalajara Cartel. Parents: NA He interviewed more than 100 insiders, often moving them to the United States for protection. At times it had me shocked, sad, laughing at the dark humor, and in disbelief at the very real and honest revelations he puts forth about murder of Kiki Camarena (Semper Fi) and the involvement of the CIA not only in the War on Drugs (which we all know, Iran-Contra) but the murder itself. They also claimed the DEA official accepted cartel money. However, the cartel leader would later be released before the FBI would list him as a wanted man with a $20 million reward for his capture. After he was captured and jailed in Colombia, Medellin Cartel operatives paid a bribe estimated to be in the millions to get him out. His story also inspired the Netflix drama series Narcos: Mexico.. But when Berrellez took over the investigation in 1989, what he uncovered was a tangled web of treachery and deceit. He maintains that the CIA functioned hand-in-glove with the cartel, allegedly using drug money to finance covert military operations, much like the Iran-Contra affair of the same era. The more you read about US agencies, the more you will be glad you don't live there.. Got this book after watching the Amazon Prime docu-series of the same name. Children: NA In a statement to Fox News, the CIA vehemently denied the story, and previous investigations into Iran-Contra and CIA dealings in the region have not included the Guadalajara Cartel. Hector was stunned when he heard that, Russell said of DEA special agent Hector Berrellez, who would later try to learn exactly what happened to Kiki. It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. Hector was not close to a hero when he was a little boy as he grew up to become. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. Berrellez claimed that he saw with his own eyesthose accounts in electronic statements in 1995 while investigating the Mexican trafficker at the DEA headquarters. Hector Berrellez is a former D.E.A. The mystery was how they got away with it. Hector Berrellez is a stone warrior, whose astonishing life story took him from the barrios of Tucson to the killing fields of Mexico and the halls of power in D.C. and into the heart of darkness of the most notorious murder in the history of the Drug War. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The official trailer was also removed from the Amazon Prime Video page. Odee Perry: Life, Death, What Is The Shocking Truth About His Murder? [1], The docuseries recounts the story of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena's investigation of Mexican cartel drug lords including Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and Rafael Caro Quintero, his death at the hands of drug lords and the CIA, and the DEA relations that followed Camarena's death. [5] He said that after he asked Jorge Godoy one interview question, Godoy drew a pistol. Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020. Launched by the DEA after the gruesome 1985 abduction, torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena by Mexican drug cartels, Leyenda was meant to find those responsible. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating explosive new allegations that a Central Intelligence Agency operative and Drug Enforcement Administration official played a role in the 1985 abduction,. It is well known that the CIA has been involved in drug trafficking for decades. At the time, Nazar Haro also was heavily involved in drug trafficking, witnesses in two U.S. trials have testified. "[8], David Hathaway, a DEA agent who worked in South America alongside Phil Jordan and Mike Holm, endorsed the series. the U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese for heroism. Having been stationed for anti-terrorist security measures in US embassies in Central and South America, Hector has seen quite a bit of the world. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. 7 Shocking Facts About GigaChad, Chantal Cadieux: 10 Unknown Facts About Jean-Marc Valle's Ex-wife. On January 3, 1989, Special Agent Hector Berrellez was assigned to the case. I couldnt set this book down. He would go through different people he knew could be of help in Mexico ranging from law enforcement agents to the office of the attorney general. Why AI Has Some Viewers Asking Which Film Actors Are Real. According to the most complete account of his life in Julie Marie Brunck and Michael Ross Fowler's "Bribes, Bullets, and Intimidation: Drug Trafficking and the Law in Central America," Matta Ballesteros worked his way from petty street thief in Tegucigalpa to contraband and drug trader. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Kiki ended up a sacrificial lamb led to the slaughter, said Russell. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. I'm glad he was on our side. In July 2020, Amazon released a docuseries, a real story called The Last Narcabout the death of Kiki Camarena at the age of 37. (CIA agent Rodriguez has denied being in Mexico at the time.). To be sure, Matta Ballesteros was in Mexico since at least the early 1970s. Docs Reveal CIA-Guadalajara Link, Not Conspiracy, 13 NOV 2013 BY STEVEN DUDLEY AND MICHAEL LOHMULLER, WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS SINDICATOS. His contributions to the law enforcement agency couldnt have him go unnoticed and as such received several awards including a heroism award from US Attorney General Ed Meese. (AP), LARA LOGAN CONFRONTS ALLEGED MEXICAN CARTEL DOCTOR ACCUSED OF TORTURING DEA AGENT. Hector was given $3 million per year and a team of 20 agents to uncover what really happened to Kiki. Desperados: Latin Drug Lords, U.S. Lawmen, and the War America Can't Win, El Sicario: The Autobiography of a Mexican Assassin, Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. I was glued. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2021. This story has been shared 152,008 times. To my knowledge they were never confiscated, Berrellez said. They were blasted out of their minds, doing cannonballs on his chest, anally penetrating him with a broomstick, putting out cigarettes on his skin.. So, conspiracy theories aside, the record shows an indirect connection between the CIA and the Guadalajara Cartel via Matta Ballesteros and possibly a more direct connection via the Mexican police. I wasted my time and exposed myself to all that danger., The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images. In the series, Berrellez claims his efforts were shut down by his DEA bosses after he pieced together details about the CIA's cocaine and gun operation. Kuykendall asserts that the show bolsters its false narratives by relying on unreliable, discredited and unnamed sources. The mystery was how they got away with it. [2][3], The documentary's director, Tiller Russell, researched Camarena's murder for 14 years, and then shot and edited The Last Narc for two years. His networks reached to the top of the Honduran military, who helped him kidnap and kill his former partners-turned-rivals, Mary and Mario Ferrari, in 1977. He has similarities to DEA agent Hector Berrellez, a real member of Operation Leyenda. CIA protectiveness of the DFS surfaced publicly in 1981, when the chief of the Mexican agency at that time, Miguel Nazar Haro, was indicted in San Diego on charges of involvement in a massive cross-border car-theft ring. The suit states its cause of action as defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of the plaintiffs right of publicity. In the Amazon docuseries, Berrellez gave an account of how the government may be aware of what happened to Camarena in Mexico. As a result of the confrontation, 19 {Mexican police} agents were killed. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Hector remained with the DEA until 1996. Page Flip is a new way to explore your books without losing your place. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Also, Hector Berrellez has been dubbed an expert in terrorism, security protection, and threat assessment by the United States Government. He spoke Spanish, had done extensive undercover work, and had even spoken with Kiki over the phone on numerous occasions. Enforcement Agent in the history of the bureau. In the story, an account of the involvement of Bellerez was exposed, as well as those of the widowed wife of Camerena, Mika Camarena, and people involved in the life and death of the former DEA agent. The Central Intelligence Agency trained Guatemalan guerrillas in the early 1980s at a ranch near Veracruz, Mexico, owned by drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, one of the murderers of U.S. drug agent Enrique Camarena, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration report made public in Los Angeles. The person writing spoke of the first time he killed a man, shooting him twice in the stomach with a .357 magnum, until the clip was empty. The .357 magnum is revolver ammunition and the writer should have used the word cylinder. That bothered me. Untold Truth About Jess Brolin, James Brolins Son And Barbra Streisands Stepson? It is a high-level international investigation and executive security firm which specializes in investigating things related to business, the government, or the environment. Enhanced typesetting improvements offer faster reading with less eye strain and beautiful page layouts, even at larger font sizes.

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