Mexican Governor Accused by U.S. of Drug Trafficking Resigns Again

Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya has abruptly stepped down for an indefinite period, just one day after returning to his post following a U.S. indictment on drug trafficking charges. Moya had initially taken a leave of absence in May to address an investigation by Mexican prosecutors.

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No personal interest can ever be placed above the interests of the people and of Mexico.

His brief return to office on Friday was met with criticism from President Claudia Sheinbaum. In a social media post on Saturday, she stated, "No personal interest can ever be placed above the interests of the people and of Mexico." When pressed by reporters, Sheinbaum referred to her post and confirmed she learned of Moya's return through his tweet, offering no further comment on the governor himself.

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Power without principles becomes arrogance; power without limits, abuse.

The U.S. Justice Department charged Rocha Moya and nine other members of the ruling Morena party in April, seeking their extradition for alleged collusion with the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute drugs within the United States. This marked the first time a sitting Mexican politician had been publicly charged by the U.S. Moya has maintained his innocence, asserting he committed no crime and returned to office "with a clear conscience and head held high."

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I committed no crime.

Rocha Moya, a close ally of Sheinbaum and former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has served as governor of Sinaloa since 2021. He was previously implicated in a 2023 scandal involving the Sinaloa Cartel, stemming from a letter by a cartel leader who claimed he believed he was meeting Moya when kidnapped. The governor faces federal charges in the U.S., including conspiracy to import narcotics and illegal possession of firearms, carrying a potential sentence of life in prison or a mandatory minimum of 40 years.

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I found out through his tweet.