Sinaloa State Governor Resigns Amid US Drug Trafficking Charges

Mexico’s Governor Ruben Rocha Moya Resigns Amid US Drug Trafficking Indictment

Governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state, Ruben Rocha Moya, has temporarily resigned following a sweeping drug trafficking indictment by United States authorities. The indictment, unsealed earlier this week, claims that Rocha Moya and nine other officials directly aided the Sinaloa cartel in its smuggling operations in exchange for political support and bribes.

In a video statement posted on Friday, Rocha Moya denied any wrongdoing, stating that he was taking “temporary leave” to defend himself against the US allegations. The indictment alleges that Rocha Moya and others provided the cartel with support, including members who kidnapped and threatened opposition candidates in the 2021 election, and stole paper ballots cast for those running against him.

Rocha Moya is a member of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s progressive Morena party. In response to the charges, Sheinbaum has stated that her government had not been provided with concrete evidence to support the claims, suggesting that the information in the indictment was insufficient.

Sheinbaum also expressed her position on the matter, stating that truth, justice, and the defense of sovereignty are her priorities. If clear and irrefutable evidence is presented, she added that the US must proceed according to the law under their jurisdiction. However, if there is no clear evidence, Sheinbaum believes that the aim of these charges by the US Department of Justice is political.

The indictment comes at a time when relations between Mexico and the US are already strained due to issues such as migration and drug smuggling. The Trump administration has imposed tariffs on Mexico’s government as leverage against its efforts to address these issues, and has also labeled several Latin American drug cartels as “Foreign Terrorist Organisations”.

Source: Al Jazeera