The former mayor of Tijuana, Montserrat Caballero Ramirez, is being investigated by the Attorney General's Office (FGR) for alleged ties to the Jalisco Cartel New Generation (CJNG), since October 2021, according to an investigation file.

Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda confirmed the existence of this investigation after being questioned during her morning press conference in Mexicali. The state governor assured that she did not promote the case and defended the professionalism of the Attorney General's Office. "There is no witch hunt here. This investigation originates directly from the Attorney General's Office," she stated.

According to documents reviewed by the weekly Zeta, authorities accuse the former mayor of having assumed office while engaging in activities typical of organized crime. In addition to Caballero Ramirez, four of her closest collaborators are named in the investigation: her brother and private secretary, Daniel Caballero Ramirez; the former general secretary of government, Miguel Angel Bujanda; the former private secretary, Juan Manuel Gastelum Rivera; and the former Citizen Attention Coordinator, Angeles Dolores Duran Ricalde.

The case also includes eight civilians, including CJNG operatives and people with criminal records. One of those named is Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno, alias "El Flaquito," extradited to the United States in August on drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

Another is Ricardo Alfredo Perez Diaz, alias "Fredy," who is under investigation for threats, damage to property, and domestic violence. Also listed is Juan Carlos Valencia, alias "R3," identified as a CJNG operative in Sanchez Taboada, although without a criminal record. Five other names were identified by state intelligence, but they do not have criminal records in either the common or federal jurisdictions.

Investigators commented that these last two could be involved in money laundering operations, which would explain the lack of criminal records.To date, the Baja California Public Registry of Property and Commerce has not provided any accessible information on these individuals.

Montserrat Caballero herself has appeared before the Municipal Comptroller's Office twice in 2024. One of the charges against her relates to the purchase of a 375-square-meter plot of land in a luxury residential complex. The property was registered in November 2021, and a house was subsequently built on the site. The seller was Joaquin Pascal Merlos, a doctor with a history of fraud investigations in the US, who was shot to death in April 2024. Caballero argued that the property was financed with funds from her husband, professional soccer referee Said Ravanfar, whom she married in May 2023. She claimed that the omission in her asset declaration was due to not include her spouse's financial information. One of the most significant events during her administration was the armed attack on May 17, 2023, attributed to the CJNG (CJNG). The apparent target was a municipal security vehicle driven by Rosalva Gonzalez Molina, alias "La Puma," who was on vacation that day. Bodyguard Francisco Javier Gallardo was injured. The Prosecutor's Office initially determined that the attack was not directed at Caballero. However, later reports suggested that a broken agreement with organized crime was the motivation for the attack.

Hours after the attack, Juan Civaca Lopez, alias "El Negro," was arrested. He stated that the attack targeted "La Puma," a former police officer accused in 2008 of alleged ties to drug trafficking. At the time, a banner was placed on a bridge demanding answers about missing persons allegedly linked to police operations.

Five days after the attack, on May 24, the then-mayor reported a robbery at the condominium where she lived, in the Cosmopolitan Residences tower. The security guard was tricked into an extortion phone call and handed over jewelry and money to unknown individuals. Caballero later announced her transfer to a military barracks for security reasons, although she did not file a formal complaint.

After completing her term, Caballero temporarily moved to California with her husband and later returned to Tijuana. In July 2025, I posted a message on social media addressed to the governor.

“You tried to take my house and you paid with yours,” referring to alleged legal proceedings in the United States. In November 2023, a woman identified as Estefania ZD, a member of the criminal group involved in the May attack, came forward as a witness and claimed that the attack was directed at the mayor for obstructing criminal activities. He explained that it was in retaliation for the capture of members of the CJNG, but months later he retracted his statement in a court hearing.