Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya Resumes Office Amid US Cartel Charges

Ruben Rocha Moya, the governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, returned to his office on Friday after a 112 day leave of absence. His return follows a criminal indictment unsealed by the United States government on April 29, which accused him and nine other officials and businessmen of conspiring to import narcotics and possessing weapons. US prosecutors allege that Rocha Moya collaborated with Los Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel led by the sons of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, to win his 2021 gubernatorial election through ballot theft and the kidnapping of opposition members. In exchange, the US claims Rocha Moya allowed the cartel to install corrupt officials in positions of power.

Rocha Moya has denied the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. He stated that he voluntarily submitted to investigations by the Mexican Attorney General's Office (FGR) and claimed that the FGR found no evidence to support the criminal charges. However, the Mexican Ministry of the Interior (Segob) clarified that the decision to return to office was personal and that the FGR is maintaining its investigations into the ten accused individuals.

Following the announcement, a US State Department spokesperson stated that the Sinaloa Cartel could not operate without the help of corrupt officials. This statement comes amid broader tensions between the administration of US President Donald Trump and the Mexican government. President Trump has previously labeled the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist organization and threatened military action in Mexico.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has called for the US to provide definitive proof to support the accusations, emphasizing that any accused citizen deserves a fair trial. Some observers note that Rocha Moya's return grants him constitutional immunity, known as fuero, which protects him from certain legal proceedings initiated by the FGR. This return coincides with ongoing investigations into the murder of former rector Hector Melesio Cuen Ojeda, a case in which Rocha Moya has also been mentioned.