Sinaloa Governor Requests Second Leave of Absence Following Controversial Return

Ruben Rocha Moya, the governor of Sinaloa, has requested a temporary and indefinite leave of absence from office for a period exceeding 30 days. This request comes just one day after Rocha resumed his duties on Friday, following a previous absence of 112 days. The Sinaloa Congress has called for an extraordinary session on Sunday, August 23, to process the request and determine a possible substitute, with Secretary General of Government Yeraldine Bonilla Valverde cited as a likely temporary replacement.

Rocha is facing accusations from United States federal prosecutors who allege that he and nine other current or former officials conspired with the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. The US claims the group trafficked drugs into the United States in exchange for bribes and political support. Rocha has denied these charges, calling them politically motivated attacks by the far right intended to harm the left leaning Morena party. While the Mexican government previously stated that Washington had not provided sufficient evidence for extradition, the Mexican administration has opened its own investigation into the matter.

The governor's brief return to office sparked significant political tension. President Claudia Sheinbaum posted on X that power without principles becomes arrogance and that no personal interest can be placed above the interests of the people and the nation. Although she did not name Rocha explicitly, the comments were widely interpreted as a rebuke of his return. Rocha responded by stating that Sinaloa and the movement of transformation are above everything.

Reactions to the second leave request varied across the political spectrum. Some members of the ruling Morena party, including Senator Ignacio Mier and Deputy Maria Teresa Ealy, praised the decision as a way to honor his trajectory and allow institutions to do their work. Conversely, opposition figures from the PAN and PRI criticized the situation as chaotic. Some opposition members argued that Rocha should be detained and extradited to the US now that he has relinquished his legal immunity, while others claimed he continued to govern from the shadows during his first leave.