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
Mexico’s own anti-money-laundering agency has now put all 46 people and companies that Washington sanctioned on Tuesday for alleged ties to Ismael “Mayito Flaco” Zambada Sicairos’ Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel on its Blocked Persons List. That includes Carlos Alberto Torres Torres, ex-husband of Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda. Mexico’s Finance Ministry (Hacienda) announced the move in a statement on Sept. 29, 2026, El Universal reported.
What Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit did
According to El Universal, Hacienda said its Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) reviewed the financial information available in Mexico on the 21 people and 25 companies designated by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Among some of them, the UIF found “risky financial operations and irregularities reported by financial institutions,” Hacienda said. Expansión reported the same day that all 46 were added to the list.
Hacienda called the listing a preventive, administrative measure meant to protect the Mexican financial system. It said the listing “does not constitute a definitive determination nor imply” that anyone has been found responsible. Hacienda added that those listed have a right to be heard and can challenge the listing through administrative and court appeals.
The Baja California names
Expansión and Infobae listed the Baja California targets:
- Carlos Torres, whom Treasury calls a political operator allied with Juan José Ponce Félix, “El Ruso,” the alleged Los Mayos boss of Mexicali.
- His brother, Luis Alfonso Torres Torres.
- Former Mexicali public security director Pedro Ariel Mendívil García.
- Rafael Buenrostro Martín, whom Treasury’s chart describes as a former legislative staffer for the Baja California state government and a former customs official.
Infobae, citing OFAC, reported the following Treasury allegations:
- Mendívil made monthly payments to Carlos Torres so the cartel could operate with impunity.
- Luis Torres laundered those bribes through businesses and political campaigns. Those businesses include Vida Orgánica Tijuana and The Woods Bar, which were also designated.
- Buenrostro is a close friend of Sinaloa Cartel leader José Ángel Rivera Zazueta and used his advertising company to hide his cartel ties.
The governor is not among those sanctioned. Carlos Torres has previously denied wrongdoing.
Reaction so far
NMás, Televisa’s news channel, reported on the U.S. sanctions:
As of Tuesday afternoon, we had found no public response to the sanctions or to the UIF listing from Gov. Marina del Pilar, Carlos Torres, the Baja California government or President Claudia Sheinbaum. Expansión reported the same.
Sources
- El Universal (Leonor Flores): “UIF incluye a sancionados por EU, incluido el ex de Marina del Pilar, en lista de personas bloqueadas” (Sept. 29, 2026)
- Expansión Política: “Carlos Torres, exesposo de Marina del Pilar, es sancionado por EU” (Sept. 29, 2026)
- Infobae (Ingrid Scarlet Rubi Resendiz): “Quiénes son uno por uno las 21 personas sancionadas por EEUU” (Sept. 29, 2026)
- Photos: U.S. Department of the Treasury/OFAC graphic, via El Financiero (public domain). Video: NMás.
Reported Sept. 29, 2026, from the sources above. Our account of the UIF listing comes from media reports of Hacienda’s statement; we did not see the statement itself. All allegations are Treasury’s. Neither the U.S. sanctions nor Mexico’s listing is a criminal charge or conviction, and none of those named has been convicted in connection with them.