The U.S. government has formalized sanctions against Carlos Alberto Torres Torres, the former spouse of Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, over alleged links to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The weight of a federal designation hit the ledger this Tuesday as the United States officially entered the name of Carlos Alberto Torres Torres into the Federal Register. For the former husband of Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda. the move converts a September 29 announcement into a permanent. restrictive reality.
Torres now sits among 21 individuals and 25 entities blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury for allegedly funneling financial, material, and technological support to the Sinaloa Cartel. The formal filing. dated October 6. invokes executive orders 14059 and 13224. targeting the international proliferation of illicit drugs and those providing material aid to criminal organizations. The mandate is absolute: any assets held by Torres within the United States are now blocked, and U.S. citizens and firms are strictly prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.
The accusations paint a picture of deep-seated influence. U.S. authorities allege Torres operated as a political fixer for the “Los Rusos” faction—a group led by Juan José Ponce Félix. known as “El Ruso. ” which functions under the Sinaloa Cartel’s “Los Mayos” wing. The Treasury’s case rests on the assertion that Torres traded his political leverage for the protection of criminal operations against law enforcement intervention. Investigators claim the structure of this “narcocorruption” involved monthly payments routed through the state’s high-level political apparatus.
This legal dragnet has widened to include the family circle. Luis Alfonso Torres Torres. the brother of Carlos. was also codified in the Federal Register for his alleged provision of material support to the same cartel. Five companies linked to Luis Alfonso have been similarly designated. identified by the Treasury as being under his control or acting on his behalf.
In the wake of the news. Governor Marina del Pilar has publicly severed her political and personal association with the allegations. Following their 2025 separation and subsequent divorce. the governor maintained that their current communication is strictly limited to matters concerning their child’s wellbeing. She clarified that she is not a subject of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions.
Carlos Torres has publicly rejected the findings, labeling the accusations as unfounded. He stated his intention to navigate the OFAC administrative process to contest the designation, setting the stage for a protracted legal effort to clear his name.
Carlos Alberto Torres Marina del Pilar Sinaloa Cartel US Treasury OFAC Baja California sanctions Los Rusos