In one of his statements, Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Loera claimed that the then-governor of Baja California, Ernesto Ruffo Appel, provided protection to the Arellano Félix family, noting that the criminal clan maintained a good relationship with the politician.
Ruffo Appel was the first PAN candidate in Mexican history to win a governorship; when these allegations surfaced, he had been in office for only four years, and he responded by categorically denying the accusations.
These statements—documented by journalist Anabel Hernández in her book *Los Señores del Narco* (2010)—have resurfaced on July 16 following the former governor’s arrest in Ensenada on charges of organized crime and fuel smuggling.
Throughout his account, Guzmán Loera detailed the relationship between his rival and the Baja California governor, stating that Benjamín—back when they were friends—had spoken to him about business dealings involving a brother who was initially referred to as Roberto but later became known as Claudio.
