Sinaloa Governor Steps Aside After U.S. Drug Trafficking Indictment
Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya said he will temporarily step down after U.S. prosecutors charged him and nine other current or former Mexican officials in a drug trafficking and weapons indictment tied to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The indictment, unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, alleges the officials helped the cartel move narcotics into the United States. Rocha has denied wrongdoing and said the leave will allow him to defend himself and permit Mexican authorities to review the accusations.
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The case carries major political and diplomatic stakes. Rocha is a member of Mexico’s ruling Morena party, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has questioned the strength of the U.S. allegations while saying Mexico will examine the evidence.
The practical consequence is clear: a sitting Mexican governor is now facing U.S. criminal allegations while Mexico weighs its own investigation and any possible extradition path.
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