Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya Denies US Narcotics Accusations and Claims No Federal Protection

Rubén Rocha Moya, the governor of Sinaloa who requested a leave of absence on 1 May, faces a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. Southern District of New York that accuses him and nine other officials of ties to the Los Chapitos cartel and illicit drug‑trafficking conspiracies. Rocha Moya has repeatedly denied the allegations, stating on X that he has remained in his home in Culiacán, that he is not under any federal guard, and that the case is a media attack driven by the far right to undermine Mexico’s “Fourth Transformation.”

He has appeared before Mexico’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office (FGR) and asserted that there is no sufficient evidence for provisional detention or extradition. The United States has formally requested his detention for extradition, while Mexico maintains the evidentiary threshold has not been met. Private meetings between Rocha Moya and fellow politician Enrique Inzunza Cázarez were reported, focusing on strategies to respond to the U.S. accusations. The controversy has sparked political debate, with journalists and commentators questioning the federal government’s protection of the governor and the transparency of the investigation. Recent polls show a decline in Morena’s support in Sinaloa, reflecting the political fallout of the scandal, which also strains Mexico‑U.S. relations and raises concerns for trade under the T‑MEC agreement.