Rubén Rocha Moya has resumed his duties as governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state after taking a leave of absence on May 1, despite a US indictment alleging that he protected a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Rocha announced his return on social media on Friday and maintained his innocence. Mexico’s Secretariat of the Interior later said investigations involving him and nine other Mexican officials and businesspeople remain open.
What the US indictment alleges
The Trump administration unsealed the indictment on April 29. It alleges that Rocha won the 2021 governor’s election by collaborating with The Chapitos, a Sinaloa Cartel faction led by the children of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
According to the court filings, The Chapitos stole ballots from Rocha’s rivals and kidnapped opposition members. US prosecutors further allege that Rocha allowed the faction to install corrupt officials in positions of power in Sinaloa in return for its support.
Why Rocha took leave and returned
Rocha said his temporary departure from office was intended to make him available to Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, known as the FGR, which opened an investigation into the validity of the US indictment.
In his return announcement, Rocha said that after 112 days of investigation there was no evidence of criminal conduct against him. He said he was returning with a clear conscience and would defend his honour and that of his family.
Mexico’s investigation is still open
Mexico’s Secretariat of the Interior said Rocha’s return was a personal decision and appeared to qualify his claim that the case had been resolved. The agency said the FGR maintains open investigations into the 10 people named by the US Department of Justice, including the Sinaloa governor.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has called on the US government to provide definitive evidence and said accused people must receive a fair trial. Her administration has also said Mexico’s institutions should handle the investigation while respecting due process.
A wider dispute over cartel allegations
Rocha is a senior figure in the left-wing Morena party and previously served as a senator. His relationship with Morena founder and former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador dates back decades.
The allegations come as US President Donald Trump’s administration has designated gangs including the Sinaloa Cartel as foreign terrorist organisations and threatened military action in Mexico. The administration has accused cartels of driving violence and disorder across the Western Hemisphere.
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