Former Baja California Governor Ernesto Ruffo Appel Detained in Ensenada

Former Baja California Governor Ernesto Ruffo Appel was detained in Ensenada on Thursday by agents from the Attorney General's Office (FGR), supported by the Navy. He was reportedly arriving at a meeting when federal agents intercepted him, initially presenting a "presentation order" before revealing an arrest warrant.

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The agents arrived and said they had a presentation order, and when Ruffo Appel approached them, the agents told him they also had an arrest warrant.

The FGR announced the arrest, stating it was based on an order obtained through an investigation into alleged organized crime and smuggling offenses. The agency indicated the complex investigation is linked to suspected fuel smuggling operations connected to a company co-founded by Ruffo Appel. In March 2025, authorities seized thousands of liters of diesel and gasoline, along with dozens of trucks, at a property in El Sauzal de Rodríguez, near Ensenada, which Ruffo Appel was identified as an owner of.

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The order was obtained as a result of an investigation into the possible commission of the crimes of organized crime and smuggling.

Local media in Ensenada, including El Vigía and En la Mira TV, reported on the detention through accounts of individuals present at the meeting. Carlos Ramón Nava Sánchez, an attorney, detailed the events to local outlets. It is estimated that Ruffo Appel was transported to Tijuana and subsequently to Mexico City following his arrest.

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The investigation is of high complexity related to alleged fuel smuggling operations linked to a company founded by a former governor of Baja California.

The PAN party in Baja California has called the detention "unjustified," suggesting it is an attempt to divert attention from other political matters. The party seeks to challenge the grounds for Ruffo Appel's arrest.

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unjustified