Mexico security chief says ex‑governor Rubén Rocha Moya has no federal escort

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Civil Protection, Omar García Harfuch, told President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference that former Sinaloa governor Rubén Rocha Moya does not have a federal escort and has not requested federal protection. He said any security the ex‑governor receives comes from state authorities such as the police or the local prosecutor’s office.

This statement contradicts earlier remarks. On 4 May in Culiacán, García Harfuch acknowledged that the security cabinet had recommended a protection scheme for Rocha Moya, though he noted the former governor had not asked for it. President Sheinbaum previously indicated that Rocha Moya had filed a request for protection. The inconsistent messages have sparked confusion over who is responsible for his safety.

Rocha Moya took a leave of absence on 1 May after the U.S. Department of Justice charged him and nine other former officials with alleged links to the Sinaloa Cartel, seeking his provisional detention for possible extradition. He denies the allegations.