The Governor of Baja California, Marina del Pilar Ávila, is on the verge of being engulfed by a scandal over her alleged family ties to organized crime. An investigation against her ex-husband, Carlos Torres Torres, is ongoing, with reports indicating he received regular payments of $500,000 per month from drug cartels to allow them to operate freely in the state. Despite their divorce last year, which came after their U.S. visas were canceled, the governor is not immune to the fallout. The case against her ex-husband will reveal whether the governor told the truth or lied, and she may have to explain how she was unaware of the substantial sums he was receiving. U.S. authorities have unofficially briefed Mexico on the investigation's progress and urged action. While there is no official investigation against Ávila in Mexico, she remains at the center of a political and legal storm, waiting to see if the case will fade away.
