Richy Maria Jacob
The former DEA agent Kiki Camarena’s death has been a testimony to the violent and political nature of drug cartels that form the backbone of the manufacturing and distribution of illegal drugs. His wife, Geneva ‘Mika’ Camarena, lost her husband at the age of 36, when the two were in their prime, raising their family of three children.
Mika Camarena was born in Fresno in the year 1948. However, she grew up in Calexico. Mika met Kiki Camarena in high school, and that is where the two fell in love. She graduated from Imperial Valley College. She has worked as an insurance clerk and as an office clerk for the Calexico Municipal Court. Her husband, Kiki Camarena became a DEA agent after he served as a police officer for several years.
His work that is believed to have cost one of the Mexican drug cartels, their land, eventually led to his abduction, torture, and death at the hands of these gangs. Mika was, thus, abruptly left a widow, shouldering the responsibilities of her three children. This doesn’t seem to have stopped her as she went ahead to form the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation in 2004. The foundation is a non-profit that is aimed to help youth who suffer from any kind of drug abuse. In addition, it takes the added responsibility of commemorating those who have been a victim of fighting illegal drug trades.
The foundation’s three main programs include placement of memorial Camarena busts, scholarships for high school senior students, and participation in the Red Ribbon campaign. It organizes various activities and events as a part of it. The foundation’s major goal is to make the country free of illegal drugs. Mika Camarena serves as the President of the foundation, whereas her son, Enrique Kiki Camarena Jr., serves as the Vice President of Civic and Business Affairs. He is also a judge for the Superior Court of San Diego County.
Mika worked as a skincare consultant in the years after the incident. She has constantly been out in public, creating awareness by talking about eliminating drug abuse and its market. In a talk, she said: “When there’s no demand, there’s no power for the dealers.”
In an interview, she also spoke of the changes that have come out in the aftermath of her husband’s death. She said: “…those in the DEA headquarters learned quite a bit from this. The agents now have better protection. Survivors’ benefits were raised after Kiki’s death, so my children’s education was paid for.”
Where is Geneva Mika Camarena Now?
Mika Camarena lives in her home in Chula Vista, California. In addition to this, she has been pretty vocal in the aftermath of the recent news, which has witness accounts to claim that a DEA agent and a CIA operative were involved in the murder of her husband. The case is thus, believed to be undergoing another investigation, that may bring more shocking results. In an interview, regarding the same, she said: “I want the truth to be out. At this point, nothing would surprise me.” She also said that the prosecutors and agents working on the case, notified it to her after which there have been no further updates.
Though she keeps a private Instagram account, her Facebook page has various updates of events from her life. It shows that she is in a relationship with Ricardo, who, according to one of her comments, works at a Ford Agency. They still seem to be together as she has not changed her status. Mika Camarena continues to honor her former husband’s legacy through the foundation’s work.
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