URGENT UPDATE: Tijuana’s Mayor, Miguel Brugueno Ruiz, is threatening legal action against news outlets reporting on a serious money laundering investigation involving him. Just confirmed, the ongoing inquiry ties him to alleged connections with two businessmen linked to both the Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel.
The investigation was initiated following an anonymous tip, as announced during public events this week. Brugueno revealed he received a notification from Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office for a hearing scheduled at the FEMDO headquarters on Tuesday. This hearing is part of a broader investigation by the organized crime division into political corruption and criminal ties in the region.
Local media reports that Brugueno is associated with Fernando Rafael Salgado Chavez and Marco Antonio Moreno Santelices, both identified as key figures within organized crime networks. These connections raise significant concerns, as both cartels are classified as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
In a further twist, earlier this year, Salgado attempted to silence local journalists through a Virginia-based law firm, following exposés on his alleged ties to organized crime. The implications of this investigation are staggering, not only for Brugueno but for the political landscape in Baja California.
This scandal emerges mere months after Baja California‘s Governor, Marina del Pilar, and her husband, Carlos Torres Torres, faced scrutiny after the U.S. Department of State revoked their tourist visas. The governor’s office claimed this was due to a clerical error; however, they are now part of a troubling trend of Mexican politicians losing their visas over suspected links to criminal organizations.
As the situation develops, the public and political observers are keenly watching how Brugueno will respond to these legal threats and the potential fallout from the ongoing investigation. Authorities are also expected to question other politicians and businessmen in Baja California as part of this widening probe.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds, highlighting the ongoing battle against corruption and organized crime in Mexico.
