Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar acknowledges leaked audio, says conversation was private and legal

Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, governor of Mexico’s border state of Baja California, confirmed that two recently published audio recordings are authentic. In the excerpts she speaks with individuals who presented themselves as agents or intermediaries of U.S. authorities, including an alleged FBI adviser. She said the participants did not provide official credentials, documents or formal requests, and that any legal issues raised must be handled through the proper institutional channels.

The governor emphasized that references to information sharing in the recordings pertain solely to the routine security coordination that Baja California maintains with Mexican and U.S. authorities as a border entity. She denied any irregular act, asserted she is “calm” and willing to clarify any matters formally, and rejected interpretations based on isolated fragments of the conversations.

Opposition party PAN called for her to request a leave of absence while the matter is investigated. A separate report said President Claudia Sheinbaum allegedly ordered an internal review of the incident and a financial audit of the state’s resources. The controversy follows the revocation of the governor’s U.S. tourist visa in 2025 and previous claims that she sought assistance to reverse that decision.