Mexico president slams governor's brief return amid drug probe

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly rebuked Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya for his "reckless" and "inappropriate" brief return to office. Rocha, who is 77, had requested an indefinite leave of absence just days after defiantly reclaiming his post for a single day. He had been away for 112 days following a US drug-trafficking indictment.

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reckless

Rocha, the first sitting governor in Mexico to face such charges from the US, has denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated. He had stepped down for three months before announcing on X that he had resumed power with a "clear conscience" and his "head held high." His return to office was short-lived, as he soon requested another leave.

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No personal interest can ever come before the interests of the people and the nation. Mexico deserves public servants who understand that positions are temporary, but responsibility to the nation is eternal.

Sheinbaum stated at a press conference that she had no prior knowledge of Rocha's return and did not intend to speak with him. She emphasized that "no personal interest can ever come before the interests of the people and the nation." The governor faces backlash from his own Morena party, which asserted that its national leadership had no prior knowledge of his return, calling it a "personal decision." The party's governors issued a joint statement asserting that "personal or group political projects have no place" when the country's interests are at stake.

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personal decision

The Sinaloa state congress is expected to appoint an interim governor this week. The situation unfolds against a backdrop of heightened US-Mexico tensions regarding drug trafficking and cartel activity, with former US President Donald Trump having previously threatened military action and labeled cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations."

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personal or group political projects have no place