Sinaloa Governor resumes duties as Mexico insists investigations remain open

Ruben Rocha Moya, the governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, has resumed his duties following a leave of absence that began on 1 May. His return to office comes despite criminal charges brought by the United States Department of Justice, which allege he collaborated with a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel to secure his 2021 election victory.

On Friday, Rocha announced his return via social media, stating he was returning with a "clear conscience." He claimed that after 112 days of investigation, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office (FGR) had found "not a shred of evidence" to support claims of his involvement in criminal conduct. Rocha described his temporary departure from office as a strategic move to make himself available to the FGR to verify the validity of the US indictment.

The US indictment, unsealed on 29 April, names 10 Mexican officials and businessmen, including Rocha, a senator representing Sinaloa, and the mayor of Culiacan. US prosecutors alleged that Rocha won his governorship by partnering with "The Chapitos," a cartel faction led by the children of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. According to the filings, The Chapitos stole ballots and kidnapped opposition members in exchange for Rocha allowing them to install corrupt officials in positions of power within Sinaloa.

However, Mexico’s Secretariat of the Interior issued a statement clarifying the legal status of the case. The federal agency noted that the FGR "maintains open investigations" regarding the 10 individuals named by the US Department of Justice. The Secretariat described Rocha’s return to public office as a "personal decision" rather than a formal exoneration, suggesting a distinction between his political status and the ongoing legal proceedings.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has called on the US government to provide definitive proof, asserting that Mexican citizens deserve a fair trial and that the case should be handled domestically. Sheinbaum, a fellow member of the left-wing Morena party, has argued that the US should present its evidence so the Mexican prosecutor’s office can conduct its investigation. Rocha has praised Sheinbaum for protecting Mexico’s sovereignty against what he termed the "machinations of foreign interests."

The dispute occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the two nations. Since returning to office in 2025, US President Donald Trump has sought to crack down on crime across the Western Hemisphere, labelling gangs like the Sinaloa Cartel as "foreign terrorist organisations" and threatening military action in Mexico. The US administration has accused Mexican cartels of orchestrating much of the bloodshed and chaos in the region, depicting the Mexican government as overrun by criminal elements.