‘¿Y los Nexos con el Cártel de Sinaloa?’: Morena’s Baja California Pick Julieta Ramírez Dodges Questions on Rafael Buenrostro, the Mexicali Ally the U.S. Sanctioned as a Cartel ‘Political Enabler’
Julieta Ramírez Padilla, Morena’s state coordinator in Baja California and a hopeful for the 2027 governor’s race, avoided answering reporters who asked about alleged Sinaloa Cartel ties among people around her political project, El Financiero reported on Oct. 10, 2026. The questions centered on Mexicali businessman Rafael Buenrostro Martín, whom the U.S. Treasury sanctioned on Sept. 29 as a “political enabler” it says took bribes from cartel figure José Ángel Rivera Zazueta. El Financiero’s headline quoted the question: “¿Y los nexos con el Cártel de Sinaloa?” (“And the ties to the Sinaloa Cartel?”). Ramírez has not been charged with any crime, and neither outlet reports any accusation against her personally.
What reporters asked about
El Financiero (Oct. 10) and Infobae (Oct. 11) both cite an Oct. 6 Reforma report saying Buenrostro helped organize the chants and photos at the Sept. 15 event where Morena named Ramírez its state coordinator, and was among the financial backers of her activities. Infobae says, citing Reforma, that she declined to comment on the accusations against her circle. Infobae also notes that the press reports do not show Ramírez took part in anything Treasury attributes to Buenrostro.
TV Azteca (Oct. 6) and El Financiero also name Dulce María Mendívil García, Baja California’s deputy anti-corruption secretary, as a promoter of Ramírez’s bid. Neither outlet describes any accusation against her. Her brother, former Mexicali police chief Pedro Ariel Mendívil García, was sanctioned in the same action.
What Treasury alleges
Treasury’s Sept. 29 release says Buenrostro, a former customs official in Chihuahua and legislative adviser to Baja California’s government, “provided political favors and influence to further Rivera Zazueta’s criminal enterprise in exchange for bribes.” It says Mendívil “received bribes from El Ruso in exchange for Sinaloa Cartel control of the Mexicali municipal police.” Treasury describes El Ruso’s Los Rusos as a sub-faction of Los Mayos, part of the Sinaloa Cartel, and says they dominate Mexicali, across from Calexico (see our Mexicali–Calexico guide). Sanctions block assets under U.S. jurisdiction. They are not criminal charges.
The earlier ‘proffer’ report
In September, N+ Focus reported that it had obtained a document showing that Ramírez agreed to a “proffer” meeting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego, the IV Press reported on Sept. 10. Ramírez denied signing any such agreement, called the report false and “mitote” (gossip), and challenged the outlet to produce the document. No U.S. court filing or official confirmation has been made public.
Sources
- El Financiero, Oct. 10, 2026: “‘¿Y los nexos con el Cártel de Sinaloa?’: Julieta Ramírez evita responder…”
- Infobae, Oct. 11, 2026: Julieta Ramírez evade a la prensa…
- TV Azteca, Oct. 6, 2026
- U.S. Treasury, Sept. 29, 2026: Treasury Sanctions Sinaloa Cartel Leadership and Corruption Networks
- IV Press, Sept. 10, 2026: Mexicali Briefs
- Photos: Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro, via Expansión Política; chart: U.S. Department of the Treasury, OFAC (public domain).
Reported Oct. 11, 2026, from the outlets and Treasury release above. The Narco Blog has not seen the alleged proffer document or the Reforma report directly, and no one named here has been charged in this matter.