United States revokes visas of two Mexican governors

The United States government has revoked the visas of two governors from Mexico’s ruling Morena party — Sonora’s Alfonso Durazo and Tamaulipas’s Américo Villarreal — according to an exclusive report by the Los Angeles Times, based on multiple sources familiar with the cases. The same report states that both politicians have entered the country under a “special parole typically reserved for cooperating witnesses.” Durazo and Villarreal are being investigated for alleged links to organized crime, according to the newspaper.

Paloma Terán, communications director for the Sonora government, called the information “completely false” and rejected the allegations. “The governor has a valid visa and has not been notified of any investigation by U.S. authorities,” she wrote on social media.

Her counterpart in Tamaulipas, Gerardo Algarín, also issued a “categorical and forceful” denial: “There are no documents, files, resolutions, or verifiable evidence supporting what was published.” Neither governor has personally commented.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that the governors “must clarify” the situation and expressed frustration over the leak. “What’s the intention behind taking away a visa — and making it public? […] When you’re confident in what you’re doing and certain that you’re acting for the good of the people of Mexico and the nation, these things can happen. We all have the right, at least, to doubt,” she said during her morning press conference.

The investigations represent a new setback for the Mexican government, which has been under scrutiny since late April, when U.S. authorities charged 10 other officials from the state of Sinaloa with links to organized crime — including the state’s governor on leave, Rubén Rocha Moya.

The accusations brought by a New York prosecutor against the other 10 Morena officials sparked strong backlash from the Mexican executive branch, which has maintained that the allegations are not backed by solid evidence. In the days following the reports, Rocha Moya requested a leave of absence to be investigated by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR), and later two of the accused surrendered to U.S. authorities.

The so‑called Rocha case — combined with controversy over CIA agents participating in an operation in Chihuahua and ongoing economic weakness — has hurt Sheinbaum’s approval ratings. A year and a half into her term, Sheinbaum is facing her most delicate moment in office. Even so, she still holds relatively high approval ratings: 68%, according to an Enkoll poll for EL PAÍS and W Radio.

Mexico and the United States have been locked in ongoing tensions since Donald Trump’s return to the White House at the beginning of last year. The Republican has repeatedly claimed in his speeches that the southern neighbor is controlled by cartels — a stance that has clashed with repeated denials from Sheinbaum’s administration, which has pointed to declining homicide figures and high-profile arrests in an effort to ease tensions.

That focus on fighting organized crime — a priority for Trump — has led his administration to seek new pressure tools, including visa revocations. By December of last year, at least 50 Mexican officials across the political spectrum had lost their visas. Among them were Baja California’s Morena governor, María del Pilar Ávila, and former governor of Guerrero, Héctor Astudillo (2015–2021).

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