mexico city —
The governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state announced Friday that he will temporarily step down from his post, days after he was indicted on drug trafficking charges in the United States.
Rubén Rocha Moya, Sinaloa’s governor since 2021, and nine current and former Mexican officials were indicted on five counts unsealed Wednesday for allegedly supporting a faction of the Chapitos cartel, the sons of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, also known as El Chapo.
Local lawmakers on Saturday approved Rocha Moya’s request for leave and appointed Yeraldine Bonilla Valverde as interim governor. Bonilla Valverde previously served as Secretary of State Government of Sinaloa.
New York prosecutors allege that Rocha Moya met with the Chapitos before the election and promised to bring drug-trafficking-friendly officials to power if elected. To ensure his victory, cartel members stole ballot boxes and kidnapped and intimidated opponents to drop out of the race, according to the indictment.
In a video message released Friday evening, Rocha reiterated his dismissal of the charges and said his request for resignation was aimed at “facilitating the actions of Mexican authorities” in the investigation.
Rocha’s announcement came hours after Mexico’s attorney general’s office reported it found there was insufficient evidence to temporarily detain him for extradition to the United States.
The agency added that it would request evidence from the United States and reconsider the case.
Rocha’s request for leave still must be approved by the state Legislature.
“My conscience is clear and my life’s work supports my words,” he said in the message.
Rocha won the election in the same year as Morena’s candidate from the same party as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and was sworn in as governor of Sinaloa in 2021.
On Thursday, the president read a statement at a regular press conference saying the government does not protect those who commit crimes, but it will be up to the attorney general to decide whether there is enough evidence to bring a case against Rocha.
Sheinbaum also dismissed the possibility of interventionist action by the United States, which has argued since Donald Trump began his second presidential term that Mexico has not taken strong enough action against organized crime.
In the indictment, U.S. prosecutors allege that current and former Mexican officials assisted a cartel in importing fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs from Mexico into the United States. Protected cartel leaders from investigation and prosecution. and condoned drug-related violence. In exchange, the defendants received millions of dollars in total, according to the indictment.
After El Chapo’s arrest, the cartel split into two groups. One group was led by Chapitos, and the other was led by Ismael Zambada García, known as El Mayo.
U.S. authorities previously indicted the Chapitos. The two were extradited to the United States and pleaded guilty. The other two brothers are on the run in Mexico. Zambada was also indicted and will be brought to the United States to face charges in 2024. He also pleaded guilty.
Zambada had previously accused Rocha of being involved in the meeting that led to his arrest. Rocha denied any involvement at the time.
