Weekly Report - 23 July 2026 (WR-26-29)

Ernesto Ruffo Appel, the 74-year-old former governor of Mexico’s north-western state of Baja California (1989-1995), was arrested last week, along with seven others, accused of smuggling illicit fuels (known as huachicol) across the Mexico-US border. Ruffo Appel is a member of the right-wing Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), which claimed he was the victim of a politically motivated witch hunt. The government denies that, saying it is cracking down on crime regardless of political affiliation.