Sinaloa Governor Rocha Returns After 112-Day Probe Found No Evidence, as US Charges Persist
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 21
Sinaloa Governor Rocha Returns After 112-Day Probe Found No Evidence, as US Charges Persist
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 21
Summary
Ruben Rocha Moya said Friday he had resumed as Sinaloa governor after a leave that began May 1, declaring he returned with a “clear conscience” and denying any cartel ties.
A 112-day review by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office found “not a shred of evidence” against him, Rocha said, arguing that cleared his return after US prosecutors accused him of protecting a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
Mexico’s Interior Ministry quickly undercut that claim, saying investigations into the 10 people named in the US indictment — including Rocha — remain open and that his return was a personal decision.
The April 29 US indictment alleged Rocha helped The Chapitos secure his 2021 election in exchange for allowing corrupt appointments, part of a broader Trump administration crackdown that has targeted multiple Mexican officials.
Did Sinaloa's governor genuinely clear his name, or is his return a calculated move in the escalating sovereignty war between Mexico and the US?
As Mexico defies US demands by reinstating an indicted governor, what explosive secrets might surrendered cartel operatives reveal next?
With Sinaloa's governor back in power despite US cartel indictments, will Washington's new terrorist designations trigger unprecedented cross-border interventions?