The United States government declassified a memo sent to the FBI director that reported U.S. agents' suspicions that Manuel Bartlett Díaz, then Interior Minister, was working with drug traffickers.
Bartlett was Mexico's interior minister when Camarena was killed and, according to released documents, U.S. agents at the time already suspected the politician was working with traffickers who kidnapped and killed DEA agents.
According to the memorandum declassified after two freedom of information requests, the FBI's international office in Mexico City had “strong suspicions that [testado] protection activities against narcotics… reached the Minister of the Interior, Manuel Bartlett Díaz.
“In fact, it is only a strong suspicion because there are indications of rampant corruption and extortion activities. [testado]it is not difficult to logically conclude that these activities ultimately benefited the top leaders of the Mexican government,” the documents were officially declassified on August 12.
Manuel Bartlett Diaz. (ARCHIVE)