U.S. government file reveals Manuel Bartlett's suspected involvement in DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena's homicide
A recently declassified U.S. government document, released in 2024 under the Freedom of Information Act, has raised serious allegations concerning former Mexican Secretary of the Interior Manuel Bartlett Díaz and the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. The document, which includes a memo from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City to the FBI Director dated March 1986, reveals that U.S. agents strongly suspected Bartlett of collaborating with drug traffickers involved in Camarena's kidnapping and murder.
According to declassified interviews with confidential sources, Bartlett was alleged to have attended meetings with cartel leaders both before and after the crime occurred. The memo, though heavily redacted, emphasizes persistent suspicions that high-ranking Mexican officials may have protected or facilitated cartel operations during the 1980s. The document also warns that Bartlett's presence in the United States could result in his immediate detention for questioning, as his name remains linked to the still-open investigation.
Manuel Bartlett, who currently serves as head of Mexico's Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), has never been formally charged or prosecuted in connection with the Camarena case. The release of this document has reinvigorated public scrutiny and political debate in both Mexico and the United States, with critics pointing to a historic pattern of impunity for powerful figures in Mexico and others cautioning against drawing definitive conclusions from unproven allegations.
Meanwhile, in unrelated news, Adhara Maite Pérez Sánchez from Veracruz has been recognised for her extraordinary IQ of 162, making her one of the brightest minds in Mexico. She will represent Mexico at the Ibero-American Physics Olympiad.
In other developments, the US District Court has ordered the forfeiture of real estate purchased by Mexican cartel leader Rafael Caro Quintero. The order comes as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle organised crime networks in Mexico and the United States.
The Camarena case continues to symbolize the dangers faced by anti-narcotics agents and the deep ties between organized crime and political structures in Mexico. The case remains open, and the U.S. authorities continue to investigate the matter.
- The release of the declassified document and the subsequent allegations against Manuel Bartlett have sparked intense debate in both the policy-and-legislation realm and politics, as high-ranking Mexican officials are under scrutiny for potential collaboration with drug traffickers.
- The US District Court's order for the forfeiture of real estate owned by Mexican cartel leader Rafael Caro Quintero serves as a reminder of the intertwining nature of crime-and-justice and real estate, being part of the ongoing efforts to dismantle organized crime networks, a topic that falls under general-news.
