The United States’ tightening pressure on Mexican politicians continues to bear down on state-level government leaders. The latest case involves the governor of Durango, Esteban Villegas, who acknowledged that U.S. authorities have placed a “yellow alert” on his visa.
“I went directly to the consulate because of the issue I had. They took my visa, brought me into a room to ask me some questions. And they told me, just like that: here’s your visa — we’re not going to take it away, but something needs to be sorted out. I’m not sure what,” the politician from the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) said at a meeting with journalists, adding that it is a misunderstanding that is being resolved.
Villegas clarified to reporters that he still has a valid document to travel to the United States. “I do have a visa; they’re looking into why a yellow alert was triggered the last time I went through,” he explained. The politician explained that these cases are usually due to a name match with a person wanted by the authorities. “I’ve never been told that I can’t enter; I haven’t had a need to go to the United States in recent months,” he added. Yellow alerts indicate to border authorities that further checks are needed before allowing a visitor to enter the United States.
The incident involving the Durango governor comes at a time of heightened tension with the United States, which has opened investigations linking several senior Mexican officials to drug trafficking. As a result, the Trump administration has already revoked visas from several politicians, most recently the governors of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo, and Tamaulipas, Américo Villarreal, according to an exclusive report by the Los Angeles Times and Puente News. Both Durazo and Villarreal are members of Mexico’s ruling Morena party.
About a year ago, immigration authorities also flagged the visa of Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar and her husband, Carlos Torres. The governor has said she is in talks with U.S. officials to have it reinstated.
At the time, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had no prior knowledge of Washington’s decision regarding Marina del Pilar, who is also a member of Morena. “We will request the information to understand the reasons — why these visas are being withdrawn. Let’s not jump ahead; we will wait for the information. We were not notified,” she said.
When governors from her own party were affected, the president — who is also under pressure over officials in Sinaloa accused of aiding organized crime — distanced herself, saying they would have to explain their visa issues themselves.
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