Who Is Carlos Torres Torres? Role, Charges and Status

What officials and news reports say about Carlos Torres Torres, known as “Carlos Torres Torres”. Everything below is attributed to its source. Accusations are allegations, not findings: anyone not convicted is presumed innocent.

Role, as officials describe it

• According to OFAC reporting, he maintained a direct alliance with the Mexicali plaza boss ("El Ruso") to use his political influence for the cartel and impede law-enforcement intervention. [Ríodoce, 2026-09-29 · news/research]

Sanctions and designations

• OFAC designated him on Sept. 29, 2026 among the 21 individuals and 25 entities in the Los Mayos action. [El Liberal Metropolitano, 2026-09-30 · news/research]
• Treasury says he "uses his political influence to facilitate Sinaloa Cartel activities and protect it from government/law enforcement intervention in Baja California" (reported in the present tense by El País). [El País, 2026-09-30 · news/research]
• Mexico's UIF blocked the sanctioned individuals in the Mexican financial system following the OFAC action. [RexNews, 2026-09-29 · news/research]
• La Verdad reported that he was designated under Executive Order 14059 as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in the Sept. 29, 2026 action. [La Verdad, 2026-09-29 · news/research]

Names and aliases

• His full reported name is Carlos Alberto Torres Torres. [Ríodoce, 2026-09-29 · news/research]

Key events

• He allegedly received monthly payments from former Mexicali municipal public-security director Pedro Ariel Mendívil García (also sanctioned), who allegedly collected bribes from "El Ruso" in exchange for handing the cartel control of the police. [Ríodoce, 2026-09-29 · news/research]
• His brother Luis Alfonso Torres Torres allegedly collected the bribes and laundered funds through companies and political campaigns; OFAC ties him to firms including Vida Orgánica Tijuana, Edifika Desarrollos Baja, The Woods Bar, Raes Restaurante and Distribuidora y Comercializadora ATAF. [NDT Noticias de Tijuana, 2026-09-29 · news/research]
• The State Department revoked his U.S. visa in May 2025 "due to his affiliation and work for the Sinaloa Cartel," per OFAC; at the time he was still married to the governor and held an honorary post in her administration. The governor's visa was also canceled then, for reasons not clarified. [El País, 2026-09-30 · news/research]
• The governor made their divorce process public in October 2025. [Ríodoce, 2026-09-29 · news/research]
• He issued a statement denying the accusations "absolutely and roundly," saying he will pursue clarification with OFAC and that the probes rest on anonymous complaints filed with the FGR with no witnesses or authorities formally summoned. [El País, 2026-09-29 · news/research]
• He is a lawyer and former federal and local deputy — initially with the PAN (from which he was expelled) and later close to / a member of Morena — and held honorary posts during his then-wife's administration. [RexNews, 2026-09-29 · news/research]
• El País reported that the governor had been a partner until about three years earlier in a company of her ex-husband that was sanctioned by the U.S.; she said she donated the 15,000 pesos of capital she had contributed, in shares, to her husband in April 2023. [El País, 2026-09-30 · news/research]

Other reported details

• The accusations are U.S. administrative sanctions, not a criminal conviction in Mexico or the U.S.; he denies them and retains the presumption of innocence. [RexNews, 2026-09-29 · news/research]

Our coverage

• ‘I Deny Any Relationship With Any Criminal Group’: Carlos Torres Says His Only Sanctioned Business Is a Tijuana Organic Market — as Gov. Marina del Pilar Says She Is Legally Divorced From Him Sep 29, 2026
• Mexico Blacklists Them Too: All 46 U.S.-Sanctioned ‘Mayito Flaco’ Targets — Including Baja Gov. Marina del Pilar’s Ex-Husband Carlos Torres — Added to Mexico’s Blocked-Persons List Sep 29, 2026
• Anaheim-Born ‘Mayito Flaco’ Among 21 Sanctioned: Treasury Says Los Mayos Hired Hitmen in Southern California and Bought Protection in Tijuana and Mexicali — Reaching the Baja Governor’s Ex-Husband Sep 29, 2026
• FBI Helps Colombia Arrest the Wife and Daughter of ‘Fito,’ the Los Choneros Boss Charged in Brooklyn With Moving Cocaine Through Mexico Sep 28, 2026
• Corrido Star Víctor Valverde, Voice of ‘El Mayor de los Ranas,’ Shot in Culiacán Restaurant Attack That Left 1 Dead and 7 Wounded Sep 25, 2026
• U.S.-Born ‘El Tochín’ Admits Smuggling 50 Kilos of Cocaine a Week Through California’s Imperial County for Sinaloa Cartel Faction Sep 24, 2026

More “Who is” profiles

Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. If you are named here and believe something is wrong, contact us via our corrections page.