Mexico Arrests Former Governor Ernesto Ruffo for Fuel Smuggling
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
ENSENADA — The Attorney General's Office of Mexico announced on Thursday the arrest of former Baja California governor Ernesto Ruffo for the possible commission of organized crime and smuggling, which took place this afternoon in Ensenada. The FGR stated that the capture is the result of a 'high-complexity' investigation related to large-scale fuel smuggling operations conducted by Ingemar S.A. de C.V., a company owned by Ruffo that specializes in the storage and importation of hydrocarbons. They added that more details would be provided in the coming hours. The investigation stems from a report by the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) in September 2025, linking two companies, U.S.-based Belar Fuels and Mexican Ingemar S.A. de C.V., to the seizure of illicit fuel in Coahuila, with Ruffo Appel being a shareholder in the latter. Both companies are accused of falsifying documents to import more fuel into Mexico than authorized. The seizure, which occurred on July 7, 2025, included 129 rail tankers containing over 15 million 480,000 liters of illicit fuel in Ramos Arizpe and Saltillo, Coahuila. Following Ruffo's arrest, the National Action Party (PAN), of which he is a member, issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to legality, due process, and the presumption of innocence. They expressed confidence that Ruffo Appel would clarify the allegations against him and demanded that justice be applied impartially. The PAN also questioned the differing treatment in comparison to other cases, such as allegations against Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar, and called for transparency from authorities. Ernesto Ruffo is a significant figure in Mexico's political history, having become the first opposition governor in 1989 after winning elections in Baja California, ending 60 years of rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He joined the PAN in the early 1980s and served as mayor of Ensenada from 1986 to 1989. He was appointed Commissioner for the Northern Border by then-President Vicente Fox, serving from 2000 to 2006, and was a senator from 2012 to 2018, followed by a term as a federal deputy from 2018 to 2021, among other positions.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
