Araceli Brown Figueredo, former mayor of Rosarito and now a federal legislator, has been flagged by the U.S. Treasury Department for alleged ties to Los Mayos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to the Treasury’s report, Brown has been linked to Candelario Arcega Aguirre, with whom she reportedly maintains a close personal relationship. Arcega Aguirre is connected to Alfonso and René Arzate García, cartel leaders in Rosarito.
Brown remains highly active on social media, often using her platforms to defend herself from criticism.
“I Haven’t Been Notified”
Despite being named in U.S. sanctions, Brown insists she has received no official notification from either the U.S. or Mexican governments regarding any financial restrictions.
“I stand firm in any situation, before any authority. I will continue working as always,” she said in a statement shared on social media.
A Controversial Political Career
Brown, a long-time member of the Morena party, has been involved in the movement since its early days. However, her political career has not been free of controversy.
As mayor of Rosarito, she was criticized on multiple occasions for her statements and decisions in office. One widely discussed incident came during her 2023 municipal report, where she entered the venue to the sound of the Star Wars “Imperial March.”
She also drew scrutiny for her frequent livestreams and social media posts, often using them to push back against accusations about her leadership of Rosarito’s city government.
Currently, she serves as a federal lawmaker representing Baja California.
Background
Hilda Araceli Brown Figueredo was born in Tijuana, Baja California, on October 2, 1970.
Her academic record includes unfinished studies in Community Development and Montessori Education, as well as training at the Allegro Rosaritense Music Academy. She also took photography workshops and organized cultural festivals in Rosarito between 2004 and 2018.
Brown’s political path began in 2007, when she founded the civil association Somos Ciudadanos Libres. By 2011, she had become Morena’s municipal coordinator in Rosarito. In 2018, she rose to state-level coordinator of party membership and soon after was elected mayor of Rosarito, serving two terms from 2018 to 2024.
She has also played a recurring role in the political campaigns of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, serving as campaign coordinator in Rosarito during his 2006 presidential run and later promoting his candidacy in 2012.
