The Attorney General’s Office of the Republic (FGR) arrested the former PAN governor Ernesto Ruffo Appel, 74, this Thursday in Ensenada, Baja California. He is accused of crimes related to organized crime and fuel smuggling, a modality known as huachicol fiscal. The arrest stems from a “highly complex” investigation against the company Ingemar, founded by Ruffo and dedicated to customs procedures.
Charges and background
The case dates back to July of last year, when authorities seized nearly 15.5 million liters of fuel and 129 tanker trucks in Coahuila. It was the largest hydrocarbon seizure during Claudia Sheinbaum’s government. After that operation, the Secretary of Federal Security, Omar García Harfuch, identified Ingemar as one of the companies under investigation for its possible link with the transfer of fuel.
Ruffo acknowledged being a shareholder in Ingemar, although he said he did not have a majority stake. In interviews, he stated that the company only carried out imports and reported irregularities at customs. “We imported some of the volumes,” he declared, rejecting direct responsibility for smuggling.
Research and reactions
According to the FGR, the arrest warrant was obtained after gathering investigative elements. The case also includes Ricardo Thompson, one of the founders of Ingemar, who asked to investigate his partners and accused that in 2021 Ruffo and José Merino Valdés stripped him and his son of shares and administrative positions.
The National Action Party (PAN) expressed support for the former governor and trusted that he will clarify the allegations. The PAN leadership questioned the arrest and asked for justice without partisan distinctions. Ruffo, a historic member of the PAN, was the first state governor in opposition to the PRI in 1989, and then a senator and federal representative. His case adds to the investigations into hydrocarbon smuggling networks in border areas, especially Tamaulipas.




