Thank you Mr. Berrellez for having the courage to share your story and speaking your truth. Plumlee, for instance, says the man he flew to Guatemala did not identify himself. 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. He is recognized as one of the most highest decorated Drug Enforcement Agent in the history of the bureau. Hector Berrellez is the last narc in Amazons The Last Narc. No regrets. The person writing spoke of the first time he killed a man, shooting him twice in the stomach with a Good 1st person account. One outlet reports that Hector revealed to them the series had been canceled by the CIA. But suffice it to say that the U.S. government doesnt look good in any of the stories Hector tells. It also opened the eyes of many authors and reporters to state that Bellerez may have more informants than the CIA. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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. Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2022. Hector Berellez lived his earliest years away from the media but attended the prestigious University of Phoenix and the University of Michoacan, Mexico for Bachelors and Doctorate respectively. 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. Kuykendall asserts that the show bolsters its false narratives by relying on unreliable, discredited and unnamed sources. At the time, as a Supervisor and Special Agent, he gained immense knowledge of counter-terrorism and narcotics enforcement. 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. [11] Amazon briefly removed the series from view, but later restored it. "A 1983 Customs Investigative Report states that 'SETCO stands for Services Ejecutivos Turistas Commander and is headed by Juan Ramon Mata (sic) Ballesteros, a class I DEA Violator,'" the Kerry report states. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, The Last Narc: A Memoir by the DEA's Most Notorious Agent. It is well known that the CIA has been involved in drug trafficking for decades. / holy$$$$!" 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. And is credited for his handling and solving of the Its not the first time the American intelligence assets have been accused of having a role in Camarenas demise. It is insidious and widespread. In 1974, he was arrested for drug possession there. Former DEA Agent Sues Amazon Studios for Portrayal in 'The - Variety After the bombshell discovery, you might be wondering where Hector is at present. As you might expect, the conspiracy theories surrounding The Last Narcs suspicious unavailability quickly began swirling online. To my knowledge they were never confiscated, Berrellez said. In 1985, after the Camarena murder, the government disbanded it in an effort to root out corruption and repair Mexico's image. The series alleges a corruption so deep that Mexicos then-president, Miguel de la Madrid, received kilos of cocaine as gifts from traffickers. Definitely worth purchasing. "Obviously, they were there. Mexico has arrested one of El Chapo's sons, Ovidio, at a bitter cost. Meet Carmen Larbalestier And Anthony Hamilton, Maris Racal Has Forgiven Iigo Pascual - A Detailed Look At Her Love Life, Who Is Ernest Khalimov? - Tiller Russell , Film Director, THE LAST NARC Series on AMAZON, Hector was an old-school, dedicated and fearless lawman. Market data provided by Factset. The FBI office at the U.S. Embassy here cabled strong protests, calling Nazar Haro an "essential contact for CIA station Mexico City.". On Feb. 7, 1985, an undercover DEA agent named Enrique Kiki Camerena was abducted in plain sight in Guadalajara, Mexico. Eventually, prosecutors did obtain tapes of Camarena's torture and murder. Now retired from the DEA, Berrellez sounds disillusioned about his investigation for the DEA. 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. Drawing heavily from news accounts, they say in 1970 he was arrested in Dulles Airport with 25 kilos of cocaine. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. The boom is a very good reading. [5][3] Russell has kept his location a secret, fearing for his safety. This page is not available in other languages. [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. [5] He said that after he asked Jorge Godoy one interview question, Godoy drew a pistol. The four-part series, released in July, tells the true story of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a special agent with the DEA, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1985.. The U.S. government, he explained, was unable to seize the accounts because of the banking secrecy laws in those countries. He was taken off the case, assigned to a desk job in DC and told not to reach out to any of his sources. ", 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.. Rodriguez has denied any involvement and claims that the allegations against him are the result of a Cuban intelligence disinformation campaign. But as his team dug deeper into their investigation, they started to uncover more and more disturbing information. 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. This story is 100% true and shocking in everything it states about the death of Kiki, and US justice. Kiki ended up a sacrificial lamb led to the slaughter, said Russell. 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. He knew they were bringing in tons of cocaine, but he did not know that the CIA was involved, said Berrellez. When he passed out, a cartel-connected physician injected his heart with reviving pharmaceuticals. 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?! As a victim, he was betrayed by the very people who tasked him with fighting the societal evils that seem overwhelming. Amazing insight on not only the investigation, but also to the man conducting it! People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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 To be sure, Matta Ballesteros was in Mexico since at least the early 1970s. It hasnt yet killed me, but it has debilitated me, seeping up and into my roots, poisoning me but keeping me alive. Citizenship: Mexican One day, Hector spread 10 photographs across his desk and called in the witnesses one at a time. 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. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. "[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. [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. Please support our mission investigating organized crime. Berrellez claimed that he saw with his own eyesthose accounts in electronic statements in 1995 while investigating the Mexican trafficker at the DEA headquarters. Supervisor and Special Agent, with thirty years extensive experience in counter terrorism and narcotics enforcement. Hector Berrellez is a former D.E.A. I couldnt set this book down. Parents: NA The highest decorated DEA agent in history, Hector Berrellez sits down to discuss what happened to kidnapped CIA agent Kiki Camarena. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. By the mid-1980s, Mexican and US media referred to him as the Guadalajara Cartel's boss. Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}Enjoy features only possible in digital start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more. Berrellez was 42 at the time. Age: 76 years old Testimony in Camarena murder blocked by judge Rafeedie, Witness Says Drug Lord Told of Contra Arms, ByHENRY WEINSTEINJULY 7, 1990 12 AMTIMES STAFF WRITER. Berrellez retired in 1996. The suit states its cause of action as defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of the plaintiffs right of publicity. He was 42 years old at the time and had worked in the DEA for more than 10 years. 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. The Last Narc was supposed to be available to stream starting on Friday, May 15. MEXICO CITY, JULY 15 -- The trial in Los Angeles of four men accused of involvement in the 1985 murder of a U.S. narcotics agent has brought to the surface years of resentment by Drug Enforcement Administration officials of the Central Intelligence Agency's long collaboration with a former Mexican secret police unit that was heavily involved in drug trafficking. As a government employee and a veteran myself. The U.S. has placed him on the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives list. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. A ledger from the report shows the State Department paid $185,924.25 to SETCO between January and August of 1986, a year after Camarena was killed and Matta Ballesteros was a known suspect in the case. I can go on and on with this. Reading this book has put a lot into perspective for me. The Last Narc is a docuseries about the 1985 death of U.S. DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. From there, the trafficker made his way to Costa Rica where he was captured and sent back to Mexico. The details were sketchy -- reports of a CIA asset recording the torture session came via Mexican informants, for instance -- but the sources were strong. On January 3, 1989, Special Agent Hector Berrellez was assigned to the case. Hector Berrellez Now: Where is the DEA Agent Today? Update But when Berrellez took over the investigation in 1989, what he uncovered was a tangled web of treachery and deceit. Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox. CONTRAS trained on Drug Lords Veracruz ranch. At this point, nothing would surprise me.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. A moving and deeply personal account of one DEA agents heroic efforts to bring the murderers of Kiki camarena to justice. Caro-Quintero was convicted in the kidnapping and murder but was mistakenly released from a Mexican prison in 2013. [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. Hector Berrellez is a former D.E.A. Page Flip is a new way to explore your books without losing your place. Full name: Hector Berrellez Greed is the catalyst of evil. Camarena by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico in which Hector 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. One of the officers, George Godoy, said he spoke to DEA officials about the killing in April 2019 and that the U.S. government has given him and the other cops immunity in exchange for their accounts. This story has been shared 152,008 times. Is The Last Narc canceled? It would lead to his becoming a cop in his home of birth, Tucson. Nicknamed The DEAs Elliot Ness, Hector Berrellez became a man who was bent on creating a society with less crime, especially as related to drugs and terrorism. Hector Berrellez is the DEA agent featured in 'The Last Narc'. But many former DFS agents remain active, especially in the Mexico City police department. We've received your submission. Untold Truth About Jess Brolin, James Brolins Son And Barbra Streisands Stepson? .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look. Word Wise helps you read harder books by explaining the most challenging words in the book. There was a problem loading your book clubs. One of those arrested was Rafael Caro-Quintero. He spoke Spanish, had done extensive undercover work, and had even spoken with Kiki over the phone on numerous occasions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. In April 1988, Honduran army officials along with US Marshals picked him up after his morning jog, then bundled him into an airplane and took him to the Dominican Republic. 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. He was tortured over a 30-hour period and then murdered. I was glued. The mystery was how they got away with it. Berrellez was a career DEA man by the time he was handed the case. Our work is costly and high risk. Anyone wanting the real story about Kikis murder should read this. In fact, his peers bullied him till his father had enough and urged him to learn the art of fighting. But there was one proof, it ended up becoming one of the biggest investigations in the history of DEA. Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020. 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. It conveys the impression that you are actually there. NOTORIOUS MEXICAN DRUG LORD ADDED TO FBIS MOST WANTED FUGITIVES LIST. Hector made it his mission to expose what he discovered and how Kiki was and continues to be betrayed by those he trusted. "[8], David Hathaway, a DEA agent who worked in South America alongside Phil Jordan and Mike Holm, endorsed the series. [1][3], The Last Narc was produced by Eli Holzmann and Aaron Saidman. 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. 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. As former law enforcement officers, the two of them run SPI Group Inc. The Last Narc: A Memoir by the DEA's Most Notorious Agent Barbara Baekeland- Shocking Story Of Incest, Adultery, Murder- Everything To Know, Lewis Hamiltons Siblings: Meet His Brother And Two Sisters, Who Is Nicolas Hamilton? They broke his ribs, drilled a hole in his head and tortured him with a cattle prod. His body wasnt found for nearly a month. 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. In July 2020, Amazon released a docuseries, a real story called The Last Narcabout the death of Kiki Camarena at the age of 37. Digging amidst the web of lies in Mexico, Hector ended up finding much more than he hoped for. Social Media: Facebook. Blood on the Corn: A DEA Agent is Tortured and Killed in Mexico The U.S. has placed him on the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives list. There is, however, little documentation to back up the claims of CIA involvement and the statements of the sources are not all rock solid. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. 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. 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. 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. Few informants ended up losing their lives but he was able to have about 200 informants ready to be led to the United States to give accounts as witnesses. We don't have any information as to if/when "The Last Narc" will be available on Prime Video. Hectors the CEO, and the firm looks to be secretive enough not to have a prominent online presence. Documentary alleges US involvement in 1985 death of DEA agent I wasted my time and exposed myself to all that danger., The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images. For 30 days, American agents kicked down doors, said Russell. Marital Status: NA Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2022. 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. ", Renaissance Literary & Talent in conjunction with the proprietor (September 15, 2020). 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. All Rights Reserved. Hector holds a BA and BS from the University of Phoenix, Arizona, and a Doctorate in International Law from the University of Michoacan, Mexico. The statute that established the CIA forbids it from carrying out law enforcement activities. Hector remained with the DEA until 1996. The CIA considers itself above the law which combined with its intelligence expertise and drug money is a major threat to our democracy. In the Amazon docuseries, Berrellez gave an account of how the government may be aware of what happened to Camarena in Mexico. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. It's been canceled forever and it's a cover-up and they don't want the truth to come out., Hi there. They gave them to us," Berrellez told Fox News. The Justice Department reportedly started re-examining the case in 2019, two years after a federal court tossed convictions against two suspects. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. But obviously, it doesnt look great when a docuseries claiming to reveal an ugly truth about the CIA suddenly becomes inaccessible. 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 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. 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. enlightening take on the futility of the war on drugs, Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2022. Berrellez was a career DEA man by the time he was handed the case. The money is used for black operations even Congress and the president are unaware of. Docs Reveal CIA-Guadalajara Link, Not Conspiracy, 13 NOV 2013 BY STEVEN DUDLEY AND MICHAEL LOHMULLER, WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS SINDICATOS. 7 Shocking Facts About GigaChad, Chantal Cadieux: 10 Unknown Facts About Jean-Marc Valle's Ex-wife. 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. Basically, justice is just that, a word. Also watch the last narc on prime, both are really good. DEA agent Hector Berrellez in The Last Narc. 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. Rafael Caro Quintero escaped in a SETCO plane, piloted by a CIA Pilot. I feel like Berrellez is telling the truth whether his helper writers get it right or not. The Last Narc was supposed to be his chance to reveal everything. The one in Luxembourg had $4 billion and the other one had even more.. The brutal murder forced the DEA to launch Operation Leyenda, and Hector Berrellez was put in charge of the investigation. His story also inspired the Netflix drama series Narcos: Mexico.. Watch the series. He was retired CIA. 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! As a hero, he dedicated his whole life trying to right the wrongs that he encountered. Great read! According to Charles Bowden and Molly Molloy's three-part story in the Medium publication Matter, Berrellez . The Last Narc: A Memoir by the DEA's Most Notorious Agent We need to make justice., Convicted drug lord, killer freed from prison, MEXICAN OFFICIAL IN 2016: CARO-QUINTERO GETTING BACK INTO DRUG TRADE. Hector Bellerez further made huge discoveries that led to the arrest of several drug lords in Mexico. 'The Last Narc' suggests CIA helped kidnap, murder DEA agent Kiki deserves justice. He maintains that the CIA functioned. In a famous Inspector General's reporton alleged CIA ties to traffickers issued in 1998, for example, there is no mention of the Guadalajara Cartel, Caro Quintero or anything else related to the case. In the end, Berrellezs investigation led to no indictments. "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. "The CIA was the source. DEA Agent Hector Berrellez Interview (Valuetainment Clips) Podcastn Out 52.5K subscribers Subscribe 4.9K views 2 years ago #Narcos #HectorBerrellez #KikiCamarena The highest decorated DEA. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. The research presented in this article is, in part, the result of a project funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC).