US indicts Sinaloa governor and nine officials for alleged cartel ties
Elizabeth Melimopoulos
The U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment against Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine officials, accusing them of collaborating with the Sinaloa cartel in exchange for political support and bribes. The rare move targets a sitting senior Mexican politician and could shift U.S. strategy in combating drug cartels.
U.S. prosecutors have brought charges against the governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state, Ruben Rocha Moya, and nine current and former officials, accusing them of involvement with the Sinaloa drug cartel in a move that could strain bilateral relations.
The indictment, unsealed Wednesday in New York, alleges that Rocha Moya, 76, and nine others worked with cartel leaders to transport large quantities of drugs into the United States, receiving political backing and bribe money in return.
Prosecutors said this support included the governor's 2021 campaign, when members of the cartel's “Chapitos” faction allegedly helped secure his victory. According to the indictment, cartel agents kidnapped and threatened rival candidates and tampered with votes to ensure his win.
Authorities said the scheme was aided by another defendant, Enrique Diaz Vega, who later became Rocha Moya's administrative and financial secretary. He is accused of providing the cartel with names and addresses of political opponents, who were then pressured to drop out of the race.
The U.S. Justice Department said most of the suspects are allied with the sons of Sinaloa cartel co-founder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is serving a life sentence in the U.S.
“The Sinaloa cartel not only traffics deadly drugs but is a designated terrorist organization that relies on corruption and bribery to fuel violence and profit,” said Terrance Cole, acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
“This indictment exposes a deliberate effort to undermine public institutions and put American lives at risk,” Cole said. “The defendants are accused of abusing their positions of trust to protect cartel operations.”
Rocha Moya has denied the allegations, calling them baseless and lacking evidence. In a statement, he said the charges are part of a broader political attack aimed not only at him but at the ruling Morena movement and its leadership.
The Sinaloa governor also told residents he would face the accusations “with dignity” and prove them unfounded.
The Mexican government said in a statement that U.S. arrest and extradition requests lack sufficient evidence.
Rare move signals shift in U.S. strategy
Indictments targeting sitting senior Mexican politicians are rare, and the case may signal a shift in Washington's approach to tackling drug cartels, with increased focus on alleged links between organized crime and political figures.
“Certainly it's a change in U.S. strategy to go after a sitting government official,” said Vanda Felbab-Brown, a specialist on non-state armed groups at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.
“For a long time, this was considered a very big step, almost a 'nuclear option,'” she added.
Felbab-Brown predicted more such indictments, describing the case as part of a broader crackdown on alleged criminal-political ties in Sinaloa. She noted that at least three of those indicted—including Rocha Moya and a Mexican senator—are linked to President Claudia Sheinbaum's Morena party.
‘Political headache for Sheinbaum’
The case puts pressure on Sheinbaum due to Rocha Moya's ties to the ruling Morena party and his close relationship with former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
“This is really a political headache for Sheinbaum,” Felbab-Brown said, adding that her response in the coming days—including whether to move against the governor—could have significant diplomatic and domestic repercussions.
“If she doesn't act against him, including the possibility of arresting or extraditing him to the U.S., the U.S. will feel very alienated at a time of USMCA talks,” she said, referring to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
“If she acts against him, it could weaken her grip on the Morena party and even endanger her political position,” Felbab-Brown added.
The case comes as Mexico's government has intensified efforts to confront powerful drug cartels, with a series of major campaigns targeting organized crime figures in recent months, including security forces neutralizing Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
