Sinaloa Governor Rocha Moya seeks indefinite leave amid US drug conspiracy charges

Ruben Rocha Moya, the governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state, has formally requested a temporary leave of absence of indefinite duration from the state congress. The 77-year-old politician submitted the request to the legislature, specifying that the absence would exceed 30 days, marking a swift reversal of his recent return to state leadership.

The move follows a controversial announcement made just one day earlier, in which Rocha Moya stated he was resuming his role as governor. In a post on the social media platform X, accompanied by the official document, he wrote that "Sinaloa, the nation, and the movement of transformation are above everything." This statement framed his departure as a matter of institutional priority rather than personal retreat.

Rocha Moya is currently facing US charges for conspiracy to smuggle drugs, a case that has drawn significant international attention. In April, US prosecutors alleged that Rocha and nine other current or former officials of the ruling Morena Party conspired with a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel to traffic drugs into the United States. The allegations suggest the arrangement involved bribes and political support in exchange for the smuggling operations.

The case is notable for being the first time the US has publicly charged a sitting Mexican politician. Rocha Moya has consistently denied the charges, characterising the accusations as an attempt to harm the left-leaning Morena Party rather than a reflection of his personal conduct. His legal team has emphasised the political nature of the prosecution, a stance that has complicated his domestic standing.

The governor’s brief return to office had already drawn criticism from within the government and his own party. President Claudia Sheinbaum had previously questioned the timing of his return, stating that "no personal interest can ever be placed above the interest of the people and the nation." She further remarked that "power without principles becomes arrogance," suggesting that Mexico deserved public servants who did not seek to feed personal ambitions.

Rocha Moya had originally stepped aside from his position in May to face an investigation by Mexican prosecutors. He is considered a close ally of President Sheinbaum and maintains strong ties to former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, his mentor. The new indefinite leave adds another layer of uncertainty to the governance of Sinaloa, a state long associated with the drug trade.