Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha speaks to the media during a press conference next to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at the National Palace, in Mexico City, Mexico, June 26, 2025. REUTERS/Luis Barro/File Photo
Mexican governor leaves office again amid US drug charges
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Sinaloa governor seeks leave again after one-day return.
- Rocha Moya bows to pressure after brief comeback.
- Sheinbaum, Morena reject Rocha’s return to office.
- US cartel indictment triggers renewed political crisis.
Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya requested a new leave of absence from office on Saturday, reversing his decision to reclaim his post just hours earlier amid mounting political pressure and criticism from Mexico's leadership.
Rocha, 77, had returned to the governorship on Friday after taking a temporary leave in May to defend himself against federal drug-trafficking charges unsealed by US prosecutors.
However, his return triggered widespread disapproval from the ruling Morena party, where officials accused him of prioritizing personal interests over the public interest.
The political firestorm intensified early Saturday after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum published a public statement on X that was widely interpreted as a direct rebuke of the governor.
"Power without principles becomes arrogance," Sheinbaum wrote. "No personal interest can ever be above those of the people or the Nation."
Shortly after Sheinbaum's post, Rocha echoed the sentiment in a statement on X, writing that "Sinaloa, the nation, and the transformation movement are above all else" before submitting his leave request.
Sinaloa, la nación y el movimiento de transformación están por encima de todo. pic.twitter.com/4QafpoSDPt
— Rubén Rocha Moya (@rochamoya_) August 23, 2026
Background on US charges
In April 2026, US federal prosecutors charged Rocha and nine other current and former Mexican officials with conspiring with the Sinaloa Cartel.
The indictment alleges that Rocha provided protection and institutional support to "Los Chapitos"—a faction led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán—in exchange for political backing and financial bribes.
The case marked a rare expansion of US anti-cartel prosecutions targeting a sitting senior Mexican politician.
While Rocha has denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated, the Mexican federal government maintains its own domestic investigation into the matter.
