Vicente Castro Camacho

Camacho enlisted in the United States Army in May 1983 at the age of 22. He received training as a paratrooper and his Military Occupational Specialty was administration. He served with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, and was later assigned to the United States European Command, and to United States Forces Korea. While in the military, he earned an associates degree in general studies from Central Texas College.^[1] He retired from the Army as a Sergeant First Class in 2007. His final assignment was with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict as an administrative supervisor & security manager.^[1] He continued with the United States government in civilian roles with the US Secretary of Defense, the United States Navy, and the General Services Administration.^[1]

He returned to the Northern Mariana Islands in July 2011.^[1] A few months after his return, he was appointed the head of the Military and Veterans Affairs Office.^[3]

He was an unsuccessful candidate, running as an independent, for the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives in the 2016 and 2018 general elections.^[4][5] In 2020, he was elected to the House as a Democrat as part of a resurgence in the Democratic Party.

At the start of the 22nd Commonwealth Legislature, he was named the chairman of the Committee on Federal and Foreign Affairs.^[6] In the 23rd Commonwealth Legislature, he continued to serve as chairman of the Committee on Federal and Foreign Affairs. His additional committee assignments included the committees on Commerce & Tourism; Judiciary & Governmental Operations; and Ways & Means.^[7] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 2024 finishing seventh of eight candidates for six seats behind the other incumbent lawmakers and first time candidate Elias Jerome Malite Rangamar.^[8]

In January 2026, Camacho informed Marianas Press of his intention to run as an independent for the Northern Mariana Islands Senate in the 2026 general election.^[9]