The revocation of visas by the United States government for Mexican officials is not an administrative procedure. It is a high-caliber diplomatic act, reserved for cases where there are serious indications that compromise U.S. national security. That it has been applied to a sitting governor, Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, and her husband, Carlos Torres Torres, marks a turning point in the bilateral relationship.
However, the Mexican government—now headed by President Claudia Sheinbaum—behaves as if this were part of a minor political intrigue. Morena has come out in full force to defend Marina del Pilar, with bland statements and speeches full of denial. Worse yet: the Senate, led by Gerardo Fernández Noroña, is already preparing its line of defense: minimize, victimize, blame the "empire," and shield impunity.
But how is Sheinbaum going to defend a governor whose visa was revoked for possible links to criminal networks in Baja California? How will Noroña do it, when he himself appears in intelligence reports for his closeness to Nicolás Maduro's regime and alleged members of the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan criminal organization accused of drug trafficking?
Seven months and eleven days into her term, Sheinbaum is already facing a high-profile diplomatic crisis. And the worst part: it is not an isolated incident. It is known that other governors, secretaries, and high-level figures are already being investigated by U.S. agencies. This includes politicians from PT, Movimiento Ciudadano, PRI, and, of course, Morena.
Are we facing a diplomatic purge?
The revocation of a visa doesn't occur over minor suspicions. In the United States, these actions result from information exchanges between the State Department, CBP, DEA, IRS, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). And while in Mexico the names are hidden, in Washington the files already have labels: corruption, drug trafficking, complicity, cover-up.
While they investigate there, here they cover up. What should trigger a serious investigation provokes a wave of political shielding. The president remains silent. Noroña and Monreal insist on conspiracy theories. And Morena entrenches itself, re-victimizing its own and presenting them as martyrs of the people, when in reality they are figures linked to dark power networks.
Colophon:
A diplomatic document states it bluntly:
"The U.S. has revoked the visa of Baja California's governor, Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda. This action is part of a broader strategy to address corruption and human rights issues in Mexico."
The decision was not arbitrary. The reasons are clear:
