Montserrat Caballero Ramírez, the former Morena mayor of Tijuana, revealed that U.S. authorities revoked her tourist visa as part of an administrative process following her marriage; she stated that if she does not hold the necessary documentation, she will not seek the governorship of Baja California in 2027.
Caballero Ramírez—a former legislator and current contender for the state leadership of Morena, nominated by the PT—announced this on Thursday, July 9, via social media.
“I want to clarify my current immigration status myself. I am married to a U.S. citizen. Exercising his civil rights, my husband filed the corresponding petition for me using Form I-797C, the ‘Petition for Alien Relative.’ During the interview, my tourist visa was retained because recent government regulations indicate that the process can be awaited either in the United States or in one’s country of origin,” she explained.
Caballero Ramírez stated that, in her case, the U.S. government itself recommended she wait in her country of origin.
“Knowing that I still had pending matters in my country, I decided to do just that while awaiting the conclusion of the process; therefore, I do not currently hold a tourist visa,” she reiterated.
The former mayor deemed it important to inform the public and emphasized that, without the document, she would not seek the candidacy for the upcoming elections.
“If, at the appropriate time, I do not hold the proper visa or residency status to be recognized as a citizen on both sides of the border, I would not serve as my state’s representative for a position as significant as the governorship of Baja California. To me, it is essential that a representative—especially of a border state—be able to ensure government relations with a presence and credibility on both sides of the border,” she asserted.
Montserrat Caballero reaffirmed her “commitment” to President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and stated that she would avoid becoming “a burden to her administration.” “In my opinion, failing to meet these requirements places the President of Mexico in an awkward position regarding diplomatic relations with the United States—and with any government that harbors doubts about individuals seeking to represent a state,” she stated.
On June 22, Montserrat Caballero joined the group of Morena members who registered to vie for the coveted state coordinator role—a position that serves as a stepping stone to becoming the gubernatorial candidate following a party-mandated “poll.”
She is the leading contender for the PT—an ally of Morena, alongside the Green Ecologist Party—and arrived accompanied by former governor Jaime Bonilla Valdez.
In late May 2023, Montserrat Caballero married Said Ravanfar in San Francisco, California; he is an Iranian national and the father of her son, Amir Ravanfar Caballero.
Source: proceso
