Valeria Marquez
Valeria Marquez

Nearly two months after Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Márquez was gunned down during a TikTok livestream in Guadalajara, no arrests have been made - yet there are signs that partial justice may already be underway, at least on an international front.

The US Department of the Treasury has officially designated Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, also known as 'El Doble R,' as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker, identifying him as the prime suspect in Márquez's femicide. Velasco, a senior commander of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was sanctioned under Executive Order 14059, which targets foreign narcotics traffickers and their enablers.

Suspect Sanctioned, But Still at Large

The Treasury's action, announced last June, freezes any of Velasco's assets within US jurisdiction and bars American individuals and businesses from engaging in transactions with him. While he remains at large in Mexico, and no arrest warrants have been issued locally, US officials are signaling a strong condemnation and a possible tightening of financial networks linked to his criminal operations.

Velasco, 40, is one of the most feared enforcers in CJNG, a cartel responsible for mass killings, drug trafficking, and attacks on Mexican law enforcement. Known for leading the cartel's brutal 'Grupo Élite,' he has long been on the radar of Mexican and US authorities, but the connection to Márquez marks a chilling personal twist in his criminal profile.

According to US officials, Velasco was reportedly in a romantic relationship with Márquez at the time of her death. While Mexican authorities have not confirmed this link, multiple news reports suggest the influencer, who had over 500,000 followers across social platforms, was seen receiving luxury gifts in recent months, possibly triggering a jealousy-fueled motive for her assassination.

Márquez was shot multiple times while livestreaming from her beauty salon in Guadalajara on May 13. The footage, which captured her final moments, sparked outrage across Latin America, igniting protests against gender-based violence and cartel impunity.

US Pressure Against CJNG

Velasco is not the only CJNG figure under fire. The June sanctions also targeted four other senior cartel operatives, including leaders involved in fuel theft, fentanyl distribution, and money laundering. The US is ramping up efforts to dismantle the cartel's international finances - and Velasco's inclusion on the list suggests his reach may extend far beyond Mexico.

While no specific properties or bank accounts tied to Velasco have been publicly disclosed, the OFAC designation ensures that any US-based holdings, including real estate, shell companies, or digital assets, are now legally frozen. He is also barred from using American financial intermediaries, a blow to the laundering networks CJNG is known to exploit.

The CJNG has previously been linked to criminal operations in Texas, California, and Illinois, where front businesses and drug trafficking routes have allegedly funneled millions of dollars back to Mexican leaders. Velasco's sanction may now prompt scrutiny of those channels.

Mexican Authorities Slow to Act

In contrast, Jalisco prosecutors have stated they currently have no evidence directly linking Velasco to Márquez's death. They have not issued an arrest warrant and are reportedly waiting for more information from US authorities before proceeding.

This has drawn criticism from women's rights advocates and Márquez's followers, who argue that the slow response from Mexican law enforcement risks letting femicide suspects walk free.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has vowed a full investigation and deployed the Jalisco Security Cabinet to lead the probe. But the absence of movement on the ground, nearly two months after the killing, has left many wondering: Will there be full justice for Valeria?

A Case Symbolizing Many Others

For now, the US sanctions may be the closest semblance of accountability that Márquez's case has seen. Though Velasco has not been apprehended or charged in court, the freezing of his assets and global designation as a trafficker marks a significant reputational and financial blow.

As Márquez's name becomes part of the growing list of women silenced by violence, her case continues to resonate - not just as a chilling cartel-linked murder, but as a symbol of the international fight against impunity, misogyny, and organized crime.

Whether justice will come in full — with an arrest, a trial, and conviction — remains to be seen.

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