Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya stepped down from his post this weekend following allegations from U.S. prosecutors that he facilitated Sinaloa Cartel operations in exchange for bribes and political support. The accusations, revealed this week, claim that Rocha Moya and nine other officials helped the criminal group intimidate opposition candidates and steal ballots during the 2021 elections.
In a video message released Friday night, Rocha Moya denied the allegations and justified his leave of absence as a measure to defend himself. “My conscience is clear. I can look my people and my family in the eye because I have never betrayed them and I never will,” the governor stated, according to reports from Al Jazeera.
The Sinaloa Congress approved the request for a leave of absence unanimously and through an expedited process. To fill the vacancy, Yeraldine Bonilla Valverde, who served as the Secretary General of the Government, was confirmed as interim governor. A graduate in Social Work from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Bonilla Valverde has an extensive background in the state administration and previously served as acting head of the Secretariat of Public Security in 2023.
Rocha Moya's departure has ignited a debate over the legal immunity of public officials. Arturo Zaldívar, General Coordinator of Policy and Government for the Presidency, clarified that the leave of absence removes the constitutional immunity of those involved. “Once someone takes a leave of absence, they are no longer exercising their official function; therefore, they can be detained like any other person,” Zaldívar stated on social media, also referring to the Mayor of Culiacán, Juan de Dios Gámez, who has also stepped down.
In light of these developments, Deputy Laura Ballesteros of the Citizen Movement (MC) party demanded that the Sinaloa Congress proceed with the impeachment of Rocha Moya and other officials linked to drug trafficking. According to a report by El Universal, Ballesteros noted that following the approval of the leave, the next imminent step must be the removal of immunity so that those accused can face justice. The legislator also criticized Morena election commissioner Citlalli Hernández for defending the governor, questioning the party's stance by comparing the case to the arrest of Genaro García Luna, a legal proceeding that was celebrated by the same political sector.
The National Action Party (PAN) has formally requested that the federal government issue migration alerts for both Rocha Moya and Gámez. PAN national spokesperson Jorge Triana argued that such measures are necessary to prevent the accused from evading justice, citing the previous escapes of figures such as Fernando Farías Laguna and Hernán Bermúdez. PAN counselor Rafael Calderón Jiménez added that the accused must remain in the country to face a potential extradition request following the 60-day period.
The situation involving Senator Enrique Inzunza, who has also been flagged by the United States, adds further tension to the case. Unlike the governor and the mayor, Inzunza has not requested a leave of absence, and his whereabouts remain uncertain after he was last seen on April 29 at the Senate offices. In a previous post on X, the senator dismissed the allegations as “false and malicious,” claiming they are an attack against the 'Fourth Transformation' and former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has maintained a reserved stance regarding the crisis. When asked if her administration recommended Rocha Moya's leave, the president avoided providing details and referred the press to her Monday morning press conference. Previously, Sheinbaum had noted that the Mexican government has not received concrete evidence to support the U.S. allegations, emphasizing that “no foreign government can enter our territory” under the principles of sovereignty.
