dea agent hector berrellez
Shortly thereafter he became the key bridge between the Guadalajara Cartel and the Medellin Cartel.He bought large tracts of land and set up companies in Honduras, among them SETCO. Each one of them pointed to the same man. The series alleges a corruption so deep that Mexicos then-president, Miguel de la Madrid, received kilos of cocaine as gifts from traffickers. Matta Ballesteros was eventually sentenced to multiple life sentences in a US prison where he remains to this day. Thanks for reaching out. He was taken off the case, assigned to a desk job in DC and told not to reach out to any of his sources. In January of 1989, Hector was chosen to lead Operation Leyenda. We are sorry. And while the story is still percolating via Proceso, it has not picked up momentum in the United States for reasons that are clear: it is still thin. The cartel had his body dug up by a crew of guys, including El Chapo, who specialized in such work and left Kiki where he could be found.. When DEA narcotics agent Enrique Kiki Camarena was kidnapped and interrogated in 1985 by the leaders of Mexicos Guadalajara Cartel, it was like a party. 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. He stumbled into something bigger than he was.. [5] Also interviewed are employees and enforcers of the cartels who helped capture and torture Camarena, but later became witnesses for the DEA. He was a natural fit for the investigation. According to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sources and documents, the Mexican drug-trafficking cartel that kidnapped, tortured and murdered DEA agent Enrique Camarena in the central city of Guadalajara in February 1985 operated until then with virtual impunity -- not only because it was in league with Mexico's powerful Federal Security Directorate (DFS), but because it believed its activities were secretly sanctioned by the CIA. There was a problem loading your book clubs. While all the emphasis is on Caro Quintero's and possibly the CIA's starring roles in Camarena's death, the real protagonist of this part of the story is the Honduran drug trafficker Matta Ballesteros and his company SETCO -- the only formally established links between the Guadalajara Cartel and the CIA. or redistributed. [5] He said that after he asked Jorge Godoy one interview question, Godoy drew a pistol. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. I couldnt set this book down. But many former DFS agents remain active, especially in the Mexico City police department. Amazon itself has not revealed whether the CIA had decided to cancel the series, or given any reason as to why the show is not currently available to stream. However, the assertion that the CIA presided over the murder of a DEA agent seems -- with the documents that are publicly available now at least --more conspiracy theory than reality. As a hero, he dedicated his whole life trying to right the wrongs that he encountered. He was the perfect fit, but his investigation uncovered a horrendous CIA link, which forced Hector to reconsider how to progress with the case. The most extensive database on organized crime in the Americas. Former Drug Enforcement Administration agent James Kuykendall is suing Amazon Studios, along with those associated with its docuseries The Last Narc, for defamation as a result of his characterization on the show. The world needs more people like you. He was retired CIA. Odee Perry: Life, Death, What Is The Shocking Truth About His Murder? Kiki deserves justice. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. His business and political connections attended parties at his lavish mansion and he gave handouts to the poor from his doorstep. The official trailer was also removed from the Amazon Prime Video page. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2021. Then the torture continued. Eventually, prosecutors did obtain tapes of Camarena's torture and murder. Legal Statement. The lawsuit states that the series hinges on a lurid conspiracy narrative that purports Central Intelligence Agency agents and other U.S. officials secretly conspired with the cartel to traffic drugs into the United States so that the proceeds could be used to fund the Contras then fighting the Communist regime in Nicaragua. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Our work is costly and high risk. Full name: Hector Berrellez [5] According to Berrellez, Camarena was killed because he was going to disclose these connections. I wasted my time and exposed myself to all that danger., The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images. Hector Berrellez is a former D.E.A. Watch the series. Its not the first time the American intelligence assets have been accused of having a role in Camarenas demise. In the earliest years of his career, Bellerez served as a homicide cop. "Beginning in 1984, SETCO was the principal company used by the Contras to transport supplies and personnel to the FDN [Fuerza Democratica Nicaraguense, a Contra faction], carrying at least a million rounds of ammunition, food, uniforms, and other military supplies to the Contras from 1983 through 1985," the report says. CIA took it off, Hector reportedly said. This memoir is excellent!! He has similarities to DEA agent Hector Berrellez, a real member of Operation Leyenda. Age: 76 years old At the offset, he stated that he did not believe in conspiracy theories and went on to paint a picture where Kiki was investigating CIA contract pilots around the time of his death. [2][3][4], In the telling of Camarena's wife and former DEA agents Phil Jordan and Mike Holm, Camarena cost the cartels billions of dollars when his investigations led the Mexican Army to burn down Rancho Bfalo, a major marijuana plantation. 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. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. In the Amazon docuseries, Berrellez gave an account of how the government may be aware of what happened to Camarena in Mexico. I couldnt set this book down. The boom is a very good reading. The undated file photo distributed by the Mexican government shows Rafael Caro-Quintero. Supervisor and Special Agent, with thirty years extensive experience in counter terrorism and narcotics enforcement. Berrellez was a career DEA man by the time he was handed the case. They were blasted out of their minds, doing cannonballs on his chest, anally penetrating him with a broomstick, putting out cigarettes on his skin.. 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. CONTRAS trained on Drug Lords Veracruz ranch. One day, Hector spread 10 photographs across his desk and called in the witnesses one at a time. Another witness warned Hector to stop digging. 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. Barbara Baekeland- Shocking Story Of Incest, Adultery, Murder- Everything To Know, Lewis Hamiltons Siblings: Meet His Brother And Two Sisters, Who Is Nicolas Hamilton? We want to sustain Latin Americas largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. An insight of the war on drugs from a perspective of those fighting it. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Legal Statement. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Kiki ended up a sacrificial lamb led to the slaughter, said Russell. Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020. 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. I feel like Berrellez is telling the truth whether his helper writers get it right or not. Knowing that there is a lot in his cart, he decided to explore other careers in writing and production known for The Last Narc: A Memoir by the DEAs Notorious Agent (2021) and The Devils Garden (2016), Personal Profile Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Den Held discussed gang dynamics in Medelln, Colombia, and approaches used by, Our extensive coverage of criminal activity in the border areas between Venezuela and Colombia has been referenced in areportby the Colombia-Venezuela RADAR project of the Konrad. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. The AK 47 uses 30 round magazines. All Rights Reserved. In fact, a little digging shows Hector as an applicant for the APA membership, as per the 2011 APA Magazine (The magazine for the polygraph professional). Good 1st person account. [5] According to Berrellez, Camarena was killed because he was going to disclose these connections. The investigation remains open. Special Award. "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? Specifically, the Show falsely claims that Plaintiff received bribes from the Cartel, that he was present at Cartel meetings where Camarenas kidnapping was planned, that he then aided and abetted the execution of that plan, and that he deliberately sabotaged the trial of one of Camarenas murderers by lying for the Cartel.. 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. No regrets. Nevertheless, 23 sources were murdered over the course of the investigation. Please try again. The former DEA supervisor was born on September 27, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona in the United States of America but has his roots in Mexico. Cartel partner Rafael Caro Quintero in custody in 2005. By the early 1980s, the DFS also had gained a reputation as practically a full-time partner of the Mexican drug lords. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, the DEA agent murdered in Mexico in 1985. NOTORIOUS MEXICAN DRUG LORD ADDED TO FBIS MOST WANTED FUGITIVES LIST. Please keep an eye on our site, as you'll be able to see all available options there! On Feb. 7, 1985, an undercover DEA agent named Enrique Kiki Camerena was abducted in plain sight in Guadalajara, Mexico. Hector made it his mission to expose what he discovered and how Kiki was and continues to be betrayed by those he trusted. The highest decorated DEA agent in history, Hector Berrellez sits down to discuss what happened to kidnapped CIA agent Kiki Camarena. How Will Ovidio's Arrest in Mexico Affect Sinaloa Cartel and the Fentanyl Trade? Page Flip is a new way to explore your books without losing your place. The mystery was how they got away with it. Hector Berrellez is the last narc in Amazons The Last Narc. 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. Inducing. As you might expect, the conspiracy theories surrounding The Last Narcs suspicious unavailability quickly began swirling online. 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. He ended up finding out much more than he bargained for. Discussion of the Netflix original series "Narcos" & "Narcos Mexico", https://www.forbes.com/sites/doliaestevez/2013/12/05/mexican-fugitive-kingpin-caro-quintero-stashed-billions-in-secret-overseas-accounts-former-dea-agent-claims, https://np.reddit.com/r/narcos/comments/gio6om/forbes_rafael_caro_quintero_the_first_billionaire/, U.S. Treasury Tracks Secret Bank Accounts of Top Mexican Kingpin, When Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero ordered the kidnapping, torture and assassination of DEA agent Enrique Camarena in 1985, he was the leader of a billion dollar criminal empire, according to a former DEA agent. The Proceso stories argue the CIA had a direct relationship to the Guadalajara Cartel via corrupt Mexican police, which appears, by all accounts, to be true. He was 42 years old at the time and had worked in the DEA for more than 10 years. Drawing heavily from news accounts, they say in 1970 he was arrested in Dulles Airport with 25 kilos of cocaine. The former DEA agent received training as a combat and field medic at the time of the Vietnam war that lasted from 1955 to 1975. the U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese for heroism. Hector was given $3 million per year and a team of 20 agents to uncover what really happened to Kiki. From Colombia, he made his way back to Honduras where despite the international warrant for his arrest, he enjoyed a very public life. 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. .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration. The lawsuit claims that the defendants acted with actual malice when producing and distributing the show, citing that they knew the series portrayal of Kuykendall to be false. Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox. As a government employee and a veteran myself. Buy this book. enforcement. A look at the publicly available documents shows that the US worked closely with at least one member of the cartel, but that it was not the infamous Mexican intellectual author of the murder. The author gives us a quick but good read a story on the various aspects of his career, our nation, our neighbor, and his personal journey. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article. Great read! According to the lawsuit who names the defendants as star and former DEA supervisor and special agent Hector Berrellez, assistant producer John Massaria, executive producer Tiller Russel, Good Pixel Productions and the Intellectual Property Corporation the Show masquerades as a factual documentary, but in reality, it aims to capitalize on Camarenas tragic murder by scandalizing it for profit and for entertainment value.. 10 Facts To Know About Dr. Michelle Oakleys Daughter. The whole case stinks, and if you don't step away you'll stink, too, Hector told LA Weekly. Market data provided by Factset. The level of corruption he discovers in both Mexico and the US is shocking. Reading this book has put a lot into perspective for me. Fox News William La Jeunesse and Lee Ross contributed to this report. We as a society can stop it if we join together, United. 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. 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. The Last Narc alleges that some US political operatives viewed Kiki as collateral damage in a larger mission to protect America against foreign enemies. kidnap, torture and murder of undercover DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" SOURCE: [Page: H2955] INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1999 (House of Representatives - May 07, 1998) A Tangled Web: A History of CIA Complicity in Drug International Trafficking. Your story resonates with me. Who is Hector Berrellez Wife and Where is He Now? Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. To my knowledge they were never confiscated, Berrellez said. 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. 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. This story is 100% true and shocking in everything it states about the death of Kiki, and US justice. Mums the word.. As a result of the confrontation, 19 {Mexican police} agents were killed. But it also reconstructs the Matta Ballesteros story to fit its narrative. 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. 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. Informants told Berrellez that Kiki was stripped to his jockey shorts, blindfolded and subjected to torture-filled interrogations that were captured on audiotape. He said the accounts were listed under the alien name that Caro Quintero, a major drug trafficker and fugitive from U.S. justice, used to do business with Mexican banks. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. DEA agent Hector Berrellez in The Last Narc. Amazon has encountered an error. We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. Please use a different way to share. Amazing insight on not only the investigation, but also to the man conducting it! 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. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Actually conducting the interrogation. [5] Thirty-five years ago, it was not the same. ", "The CIA's Deadly Drug-Running Operation", "Former DEA Agent Sues Amazon Studios for Portrayal in 'The Last Narc' - Variety", "James Kuykendall v. Amazon Studios LLC et al", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Last_Narc_(TV_series)&oldid=1144200904, This page was last edited on 12 March 2023, at 11:07. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Were not saying it looks like a total cover-up, but were not not saying that either. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, In separate interviews with the El Paso Times, Mexican authorities released Caro Quintero from jail, The court overturned this decision in early November, Bribes, Bullets, and Intimidation: Drug Trafficking and the Law in Central America, the independent counsel Lawrence Walsh's report, eventually sentenced to multiple life sentences, International Development Research Centre, Colombia's New Security Policy Faces Challenges on Environmental Aims, Colombias Coca Market Crash Unlikely to Impact Cocaine Trade, InSight Crime Cited in OAS, CARICOM Reports, Cocaine and Marijuana Fuel Ever-Higher Homicides in Costa Rica, Corruption Takes Center Stage in Paraguay Presidential Election, In Lara, Venezuela, Criminal 'Colectivos' Control Public Services. Or at least some of their contract workers were there. Date of birth: September 27, 1946 Kiki was asked questions he could not answer. Finally, after two days, his body gave out and a thug put Kiki out of his misery, cracking him across the skull with a steel rebar. The U.S. government, he explained, was unable to seize the accounts because of the banking secrecy laws in those countries. "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. 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. Lara Logan confronts alleged Mexican cartel doctor accused of torturing DEA agent, FLASHBACK: A look at DEA agent 'Kiki' Camarena's murder. He is recognized as one of the most highest decorated Drug Digging amidst the web of lies in Mexico, Hector ended up finding much more than he hoped for. DEA agent Hector Berrellez says CIA took it off; Tiller Russel said the CIA pressured Amazon to cancel TV series (KIKI Camarena murder) due to a National Security issue. They also claimed the DEA official accepted cartel money. He was haunted by what he Hector is a hero, and a victim. 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. [1][3], The Last Narc was produced by Eli Holzmann and Aaron Saidman. Hector Berrellez is a former D.E.A. All About Drew Sidoras Husband And Cheating Claims, Who Is Willow Oakley? But obviously, it doesnt look great when a docuseries claiming to reveal an ugly truth about the CIA suddenly becomes inaccessible. Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2022. Parents: NA Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Enjoy a great reading experience when you borrow the Kindle edition of this book with your Kindle Unlimited membership. He was tortured over a 30-hour period and then murdered. His name was Felix Rodrguez. During his trial, neither he nor his lawyers ever raised the CIA's possible connections to the cartel or the agency's possible role in the murder of Camarena. The 1996 retired DEA agent has also featured in The Last Narc series a true story that gives an insight into the death of Camarena. Was the Mexican cartel . (AP), LARA LOGAN CONFRONTS ALLEGED MEXICAN CARTEL DOCTOR ACCUSED OF TORTURING DEA AGENT. 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. One of those arrested was Rafael Caro-Quintero. Spouse: NA Hector holds a BA and BS from the University of Phoenix, Arizona, and a Doctorate in International Law from the University of Michoacan, Mexico. ", A CIA spokesperson previously has told Fox News that its ridiculous to suggest that the CIA had anything to do with the murder of a U.S. federal agent or the escape of his killer.. The research presented in this article is, in part, the result of a project funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Citizenship: Mexican His story has also been told through documentation that includes film. On a cinematic and literary journey that started with Narcos: Mexico (Netflix) and O Plata O Plomo (by James Kuykendall) this is by far the most interesting, easy to read and "are you kidding me?! Word Wise helps you read harder books by explaining the most challenging words in the book. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. Camarena by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico in which Hector As the Netflix show readies itself for another season in 2020, the former director of DEA's powerful El Paso Intelligence Center in Texas, Phil Jordan, and retired DEA agent Hector Berrellez spoke exclusively to MEA World Wide (MEAWW) and disclosed how the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was directly involved in Camerana's brutal killing. It is a high-level international investigation and executive security firm which specializes in investigating things related to business, the government, or the environment. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. It conveys the impression that you are actually there. 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. In January of 1989, Hector was chosen to lead Operation Leyenda. There are good cops out there; Hector is one of them. Kikis body was quietly buried then all hell broke loose. This may sound dramatic but if you pay attention to the nuances of Berrellez writing one Berrellez begins his book I am a man who is haunted by the past. This memoir is excellent!! I was glued. Hector managed to find three men who had witnessed Kikis torture and murder. Your own government killed Camarena. The details of what really happened to Kiki remain difficult to access even today, more than 30 years later. Rafael Caro Quintero escaped in a SETCO plane, piloted by a CIA Pilot. He realized evil exists at the highest level of government. It hasnt yet killed me, but it has debilitated me, seeping up and into my roots, poisoning me but keeping me alive. (AP). When he passed out, a cartel-connected physician injected his heart with reviving pharmaceuticals. This story has been shared 152,008 times. Rodriguez has denied any involvement and claims that the allegations against him are the result of a Cuban intelligence disinformation campaign. Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2022. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. And is credited for his handling and solving of the They pressured Amazon to take it off because of national security. All rights reserved. The undated file photo distributed by the Mexican government shows Rafael Caro-Quintero. Berrellez retired in 1996. It also opened the eyes of many authors and reporters to state that Bellerez may have more informants than the CIA. But as his team dug deeper into their investigation, they started to uncover more and more disturbing information. I was glued. A prosecution witness in the Enrique Camarena murder trial testified Friday in Los Angeles federal court that Mexican drug lord Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo told him that he believed his narcotics trafficking operation was safe because he was supplying arms to the Nicaraguan Contras. Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group. Matta Ballesteros' nexus with the Guadalajara Cartel eventually caught up with him. [3][6], The series features interviews with real persons involved in Camarena's life and death. Drug lords dont blindfold; you know who they are, and you will not survive, he said. 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. Further along the writer said he was an OCS graduate, while concurrently a combat medic. Then, the person writing for Berrellez states later on he went through two 60 round clips firing an AK 47. However, this is inconsistent with what's known about Felix Rodriguez's and Matta Ballesteros' histories. ", Renaissance Literary & Talent in conjunction with the proprietor (September 15, 2020). 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.
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