Governor of Mexico resigns following allegations of connections to drug cartels from the United States
The governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state announced on Friday that he would temporarily resign while a local investigation unfolds into the U.S. accusations of his support for one of the nation’s most formidable drug cartels.
In remarks broadcast on television late Friday, Ruben Rocha asserted his innocence and stated that he departed from his position with a “clean conscience.” He condemned the U.S. charges against him as an assault on the political movement he is part of.
Rocha belongs to the same Morena party as President Claudia Sheinbaum, which makes the U.S. indictment announced on Wednesday a complicated matter for the Mexican leader. Rocha has been a steadfast ally of Sheinbaum’s predecessor and mentor, the former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
In addition to Rocha, the indictment also implicated several other current and former Mexican officials for allegedly conspiring with the Sinaloa Cartel to import large amounts of narcotics into the United States.
Corruption remains a primary concern for Mexicans, who express frustration over the perceived collusion between politicians and organized-crime groups. Additionally, there is significant sensitivity regarding U.S. interference, particularly given President Donald Trump’s repeated threats of military action against the cartels.
Sheinbaum has vowed to maintain Mexican sovereignty, saying the relationship with the U.S. should be equal, not subordinate.
Rocha’s choice to step down occurred as the U.S. has been applying growing pressure on Mexico to enhance its efforts in eliminating corruption and official collusion with organized crime.
Sheinbaum stated earlier that the U.S. extradition requests accompanying the charges would need to be assessed by Mexico and that “clear evidence” would be necessary for arrest warrants to be carried out.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and the Sinaloa state government did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment.
Rocha firmly declared his decision to step aside. “I can face my family and my people because I have never betrayed them.” I will prove this decisively when our country’s institutions of justice call upon me,” he stated.
