Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated it was "not appropriate" for Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha to return to his post following U.S. drug trafficking accusations. Rocha briefly returned to office before reversing his decision amid backlash from his own party.
The situation exposes internal tensions within Mexico's ruling party regarding high-profile cartel allegations and highlights the political influence of President Claudia Sheinbaum, particularly in navigating U.S. relations and domestic corruption concerns.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Monday that it was "not appropriate" for Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha to return to his post after facing accusations of drug trafficking from the United States. Rocha, a member of the ruling Morena party, had dramatically returned to office on Friday but backtracked on Saturday following sharp criticism from Sheinbaum and other party members.
Sheinbaum said at her daily morning press conference that she had no prior knowledge of Rocha's intention to return. She added that the Sinaloa state congress is expected to appoint an interim governor.
In April, U.S. prosecutors charged Rocha with conspiring with the Sinaloa Cartel to traffic drugs into the United States in exchange for bribes and political support. Rocha has denied the charges, describing them as a politically motivated attack. Sheinbaum had previously questioned the U.S. evidence against Rocha, but his brief return to office highlighted tensions within the ruling party concerning the high-profile cartel allegations.