The Last Narc was supposed to be available to stream starting on Friday, May 15. Stunning first-person details abound in The Last Narc, provided by colorful characters led by Berrelleza no-nonsense . 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.. He is recognized as one of the most highest decorated Drug Berrellez was a career DEA man by the time he was handed the case. Social Media: Facebook. 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. 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. He was haunted by what he experienced as a DEA agent, but he never stopped fighting the good fight. 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. (CIA agent Rodriguez has denied being in Mexico at the time.). But in 1846, a new wave of migration was coming from the East Americanos gives us a bit of interesting history that is relevant in the United States current internal friction (chapter Antepasado). Very interesting read! (AP). Last Updated on April 28, 2022 by Stephanie, Biography and Early Life of Hector Berrellez, Tracing His Career From The Time He Was a Homicide Cop, Hector Reportedly Had Better Sources Than CIA and Led One of the Largest Investigations in DEA History, His Involvement in The Camarenas Murder Has Been Recorded in a Documentary, The Last Narc. Thank you Mr. Berrellez for having the courage to Definitely worth purchasing. [9] Following the initiation of the discovery process, Kuykendall voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit.[12]. We as a society can stop it if we join together, United. The U.S. government, he explained, was unable to seize the accounts because of the banking secrecy laws in those countries. As a victim, he was betrayed by the very people who tasked him with fighting the societal evils that seem overwhelming. Rafael Caro Quintero escaped in a SETCO plane, piloted by a CIA Pilot. 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). One day, Hector spread 10 photographs across his desk and called in the witnesses one at a time. On how he was able to bring a number of the alleged culprits, Bellerez had a budget of about $3 million with a team of 20 agents. In most cases, people expect new titles to be made available on streaming services at midnight on release day so what gives? He spoke Spanish, had done extensive undercover work, and had even spoken with Kiki over the phone on numerous occasions. Marital Status: NA I wasted my time and exposed myself to all that danger., The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images. Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2022. Berrellez was 42 at the time. How Accurate Is The Narcos Series? DEA Agent Hector Berrellez - YouTube The suit states its cause of action as defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of the plaintiffs right of publicity. 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. enlightening take on the futility of the war on drugs, Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2022. [2], The docuseries shoots footage in the home where Camarena was tortured and murdered, now an elementary school. The investigation remains open. [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. As a hero, he dedicated his whole life trying to right the wrongs that he encountered. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. But there was one proof, it ended up becoming one of the biggest investigations in the history of DEA. After he was captured and jailed in Colombia, Medellin Cartel operatives paid a bribe estimated to be in the millions to get him out. Whether or not this was the case, DEA and Mexican officials interviewed for this article said that at a minimum, the CIA had turned a blind eye to a burgeoning drug trade in cultivating its relationship with the DFS and pursuing what it regarded as other U.S. national security interests in Mexico and Central America. He was recognized by ", 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.. 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. 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. Actually conducting the interrogation. Lara Logan confronts alleged Mexican cartel doctor accused of torturing DEA agent, FLASHBACK: A look at DEA agent 'Kiki' Camarena's murder. For more than 30 hours, Caro-Quintero and others interrogated Camarena and crushed his skull, jaw, nose and cheekbones with a tire iron. I feel like we were all betrayed, he told The Post, referring to himself and his informants. But obviously, it doesnt look great when a docuseries claiming to reveal an ugly truth about the CIA suddenly becomes inaccessible. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, the DEA agent murdered in Mexico in 1985. The Justice Department reportedly started re-examining the case in 2019, two years after a federal court tossed convictions against two suspects. 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. The series alleges a corruption so deep that Mexicos then-president, Miguel de la Madrid, received kilos of cocaine as gifts from traffickers. Its content is not necessarily a reflection of the positions of the IDRC. [1][3], The Last Narc was produced by Eli Holzmann and Aaron Saidman. As Berrellez told The Post, cartel leaders and American operatives wanted to find out what [Kiki] knew about collusion between the cartel and the CIA and what he might spill upon his upcoming reassignment to the United States. [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. This page is not available in other languages. Interest inthe case revived in August whenMexican authorities released Caro Quintero from jail12 years before the end of his sentence. On November 2, Proceso followed up with a story drawing from a public event in which other former DEA agents confirmed the connections between the CIA and members of the cartel but denied assertions the agency was involved in Camarena's murder. Besides this, the former DEA agent has also taken to writing. As a government employee and a veteran myself. "[2], According to the Florida-based CE Noticias Financieras, The Last Narc "is notable" for approaching the story of Camarena's death beyond the ordinary patriotic narratives of the US and Mexican government. At the time, there was little the world knew about him until he joined the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Prized recruit. I couldnt set this book down. Cartel partner Rafael Caro Quintero in custody in 2005. 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. 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. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download. ", Renaissance Literary & Talent in conjunction with the proprietor (September 15, 2020). Please support our mission investigating organized crime. 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. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. As a result, Camarena was murdered because he had discovered, and was about to expose, the conspiracy. It hasnt yet killed me, but it has debilitated me, seeping up and into my roots, poisoning me but keeping me alive. 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. Matta Ballesteros' nexus with the Guadalajara Cartel eventually caught up with him. The CIA considers itself above the law which combined with its intelligence expertise and drug money is a major threat to our democracy. The undated file photo distributed by the Mexican government shows Rafael Caro-Quintero. 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, As Camarena lay dying, Caro-Quintero ordered a cartel doctor to keep the U.S. agent alive. The undated file photo distributed by the Mexican government shows Rafael Caro-Quintero. They gave them to us," Berrellez told Fox News. The DFS agents then took Camarena, blindfolded and held at gunpoint, to one of Caro-Quintero's haciendas five miles away. .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip. His story also inspired the Netflix drama series Narcos: Mexico.. 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. 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?! He realized evil exists at the highest level of government. But it also reconstructs the Matta Ballesteros story to fit its narrative. Drawing heavily from news accounts, they say in 1970 he was arrested in Dulles Airport with 25 kilos of cocaine. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1990/07/05/cia-used-drug-ranch-in-training-report-says/e1de697c-9697-4f0c-a85a-fc5661f0afe7/, TRIAL IN CAMARENA CASE SHOWS DEA ANGER AT CIA. The agent, Hector Berrellez, states that the CIA agent Flix Ismael Rodrguezhelped torture Camerena to learn what Camarena knew about US connections to Mexican cartels. 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. [3][6], The series features interviews with real persons involved in Camarena's life and death. 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. Anyone wanting the real story about Kikis murder should read this. Now, Berrellez stated up front that he had help writing this, and I figure whoever helped him doesnt know anything about guns or the Armys distinction between commissioned officers and combat medics. (AP), LARA LOGAN CONFRONTS ALLEGED MEXICAN CARTEL DOCTOR ACCUSED OF TORTURING DEA AGENT. The money is used for black operations even Congress and the president are unaware of. Odee Perry: Life, Death, What Is The Shocking Truth About His Murder? Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Kiki was asked questions he could not answer. Did the CIA Torture an Undercover DEA Agent for a Mexican Drug Cartel? He has also been working with Brandon Pender, his long term friend, and business associate. At the time, Nazar Haro also was heavily involved in drug trafficking, witnesses in two U.S. trials have testified. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Nor do they memorialize their interrogations: That is CIA methodology.. It is well known that the CIA has been involved in drug trafficking for decades. US intelligence present during DEA agent's torture, Scan this QR code to download the app now, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vhhUOaBM_E, Sicilia Falcon gross revenue; 3.7m per week. The boom is a very good reading. [7], The Daily Beast reviewed The Last Narc favorably, calling it a "a wide-ranging expose about the entangled relationship between the CIA, the Mexican government, the DFS (Mexicos secret police, created by the CIA) and the cartels. Unlimited reading. 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. Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2022. [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. The DEA and Camarena had been utilizing a series of wiretaps to make sizeable drug busts inside Mexico. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Definitely worth purchasing. ^LS. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. - Tiller Russell , Film Director, THE LAST NARC Series on AMAZON, Hector was an old-school, dedicated and fearless lawman. His father was a bricklayer while his mother was involved in fortune-telling. 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. Hector Berrellez - Biography - IMDb As a result of the confrontation, 19 {Mexican police} agents were killed. Hector has kept his marital life private but in his career, he is currently a certified polygraph examiner and established an international investigation and executive security firm, SPI Group Inc. It hasnt yet killed me, but it has debilitated me, seeping up and into my roots, poisoning me but keeping me alive. The suit alleges that Russell and Amazon representatives spoke with Kuykendall while the show was in development and despite Kuykendall demanding the show not be published due to its falsity, proceeded regardless. Please try again. 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. Reading this book has put a lot into perspective for me. 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. [5][3] Russell has kept his location a secret, fearing for his safety. However, the book is well written in the 1st person and whoever took on this part is skilled, that alone compelled me to stick with it. On November 9, the magazine offered still more details, via an interview with Plumlee, of the alleged connections between the US spy agency and the Guadalajara Cartel's Rafael Caro Quintero, the convicted intellectual author of the Camarena murder. The world needs more people like you. Three former Mexican police officers who claimed to have once worked as security guards for cartel kingpins told USA Today they informed U.S. investigators that a DEA official and CIA operative were present at meetings where Camarenas abduction was being discussed. The mystery was how they got away with it. The AK 47 uses 30 round magazines. He stumbled into something bigger than he was.. 4 stars because there are some small issues, like inconsistencies of the text with itself, typos and other. [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. Contains real page numbers based on the print edition (ISBN 1950369323). Legal Statement. He interviewed more than 100 insiders, often moving them to the United States for protection. The more Kiki expressed ignorance, the worse the torture. Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020. 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. Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2021. Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2022. But when Berrellez took over the investigation in 1989, what he uncovered was a tangled web of treachery and deceit. There is, however, little documentation to back up the claims of CIA involvement and the statements of the sources are not all rock solid. 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. I was glued. These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Enjoy a great reading experience when you borrow the Kindle edition of this book with your Kindle Unlimited membership. Nevertheless, 23 sources were murdered over the course of the investigation. Berrellez retired in 1996. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. This story has been shared 152,008 times. 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. [8] The newspaper writes that The Last Narc makes a convincing argument about Camarena's death: "In a blunt way, this work by Amazon also establishes something that has been ventilated before: the Sinaloa Cartel was a creation of the PRI regime through the DFS and the DFS, in turn, was a creation of the CIA. We are sorry. Just as insightful as the tv series, but more insightful on the investigator Hector Berrellez and what happened to him after he was hung out to dry! Kikis death launched Operation Leyenda, the largest DEA homicide investigation ever. For 30 days, American agents kicked down doors, said Russell. In this March 8, 1985, file photo, Marine Corps pallbearers carry Camarenas casket after it arrived at North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego.
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