State and federal officials in Baja California gathered Tuesday, May 5, to publicly back Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda after rumors spread that she was preparing to request a leave of absence from office. Legislators and government functionaries arrived at the event to reaffirm their support, with one official telling reporters that the governor “continues forward, of course” and dismissing the leave rumors outright.
The show of political unity came as speculation about Ávila Olmeda’s future in office circulated on social media and in local press. No official source has confirmed that a formal leave request was ever submitted or is under consideration. The governor herself has not publicly addressed the rumors in detail.
A Governor Under Persistent Pressure
The leave rumors are the latest in a string of political headaches for Ávila Olmeda, who has governed Baja California since 2021. In May 2025, the U.S. State Department revoked her tourist visa and that of her then-husband, Carlos Alberto Torres. The reasons were never made public, but the move triggered protests both for and against the governor in Mexicali, Tijuana, and Ensenada.
Anti-government demonstrators organized “carne asada” protests in Mexicali in May 2025, drawing thousands. Supporters of the governor’s Morena party countered with their own rally in Tijuana, though critics accused organizers of busing in government employees and residents of neighborhoods dependent on social welfare programs.
The visa revocation complicated cross-border governance in a state that shares one of the world’s busiest land borders with the United States. Ávila Olmeda later told reporters she continued to coordinate cross-border relations and business opportunities despite being unable to travel north. She also announced her divorce from Torres in late 2025.
What a Leave of Absence Would Mean
Under Baja California’s state constitution, a governor may request a temporary leave of absence from the state congress. If granted, the legislature would appoint an interim governor. Such a move could affect continuity on infrastructure projects, public safety coordination, and permitting processes across Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, Rosarito, and Tecate.
For now, the governor’s allies are projecting stability. Tuesday’s gathering sent a clear message that Ávila Olmeda’s inner circle and party allies in both state and federal government intend to keep her in the governor’s office. Whether the rumors fade or intensify will likely depend on developments in the coming weeks.
The story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.