Mexican governor steps aside after US allegations of cartel ties

Mexico City: The governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state said on Friday that he would temporarily leave office while a local investigation examines accusations from the United States that he helped one of the country’s most powerful drug trafficking groups.

In televised remarks late on Friday, Ruben Rocha said he was innocent and that he was stepping aside with a clean conscience.

Rocha also rejected the allegations brought against him in the United States, describing them as an attack on the ruling political movement of which he is a member.

The development follows a US indictment announced on Wednesday. According to the charges, Rocha was accused of aiding the Sinaloa Cartel. The indictment also named several other current and former Mexican officials, alleging that they conspired with the cartel.

Political implications for Mexico’s ruling party

The case has created a politically sensitive situation for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, as Rocha belongs to the same Morena party. The accusations against a sitting governor from the ruling party have added pressure for the Mexican leadership as the matter unfolds.

Rocha is also described as a long-time ally of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is Sheinbaum’s predecessor and political mentor. That connection has further increased the significance of the case within Mexico’s governing camp.

While announcing his temporary departure, Rocha maintained that he had done nothing wrong. His remarks were delivered publicly as scrutiny intensified following the US legal action.

The accusations centre on alleged links to the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most influential criminal organisations. The US indictment, announced earlier in the week, widened the scope of the case beyond Rocha by including multiple serving and former officials.

Rocha’s decision to step aside temporarily marks a significant moment in the fallout from the US charges, particularly because of his standing within Morena and his ties to senior figures in Mexico’s recent political leadership.

He has continued to deny the allegations and publicly defended his position, while the investigation in Mexico proceeds.