Sinaloa Governor Rocha Seeks Leave Again After US Indictment Uproar

Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha has again requested a leave of absence from his post, just a day after returning to office following a three-month hiatus. The move comes amid intense political pressure from both the federal government and his own party over his indictment on US drug-trafficking charges.

Rocha, 77, a member of the ruling Morena party, had resumed his duties on Friday. His return was met with immediate criticism from President Claudia Sheinbaum and party leadership, who accused him of placing personal interests above public duty.

On Saturday, Sheinbaum issued a pointed warning on social media, stating that "power without principles becomes arrogance" and that "no personal interest can ever be above those of the people or the Nation." While she did not name Rocha directly, the message was widely interpreted as a rebuke. Rocha responded with a statement echoing her language, saying that "Sinaloa, the nation, and the transformation movement are above all else."

In April, US federal prosecutors alleged that Rocha and nine other current and former officials conspired with Los Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, to facilitate drug trafficking into the United States in exchange for bribes and political support. The indictment marked a rare instance of Washington targeting a sitting senior Mexican politician in its anti-cartel efforts.

Rocha has dismissed the US case as politically motivated, aimed at undermining Sheinbaum's movement. The Mexican government had previously stated that Washington failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify his arrest or extradition, though it has opened its own investigation into the matter.

The swift backlash to Rocha's return underscores lingering tensions within Morena over how to handle the case and its implications for the party's image.