Mexican government officials are waiting for solid evidence before considering a U.S. request for the extradition of former Sinaloa governor Rubén Rocha. The case against Rocha is linked to an investigation involving the sons of the former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera. President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated that they will not take action against Rocha, a member of the ruling party, until concrete proof is provided to support allegations that Rocha colluded with the Sinaloa cartel to secure his 2021 election victory.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York issued an indictment on April 29 implicating Rocha, who also serves as the mayor of Culiacan, a senator, the state’s deputy attorney general, and several former law enforcement officials. The indictment alleges that Rocha exchanged parts of the state security apparatus for assistance from El Chapo’s sons in the lead-up to the governorship election. The U.S. is seeking Rocha’s extradition, marking the first time a Mexican senior elected official has been indicted by the U.S.
Rocha, affiliated with the National Regeneration Movement party (Morena), has close ties to the party’s founder and former president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Rocha resigned from his governorship on May 1 amidst the escalating legal situation. The case against Rocha originated from an extensive investigation into the Sinaloa cartel’s fentanyl activities, with implications suggesting collaboration and specific details from undisclosed sources.
The indictment against Rocha is part of a larger case against El Chapo’s sons, Ivan Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, who are still at large. The case details the sons’ involvement in the cartel’s illicit operations, including allegations of feeding victims to tigers and smuggling fentanyl into the U.S. The indictment underscores the cartel’s significant role in the fentanyl trade and its reliance on corruption to sustain its operations.
The ongoing conflict between the Chapitos and the La Mayiza faction, loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s son, has resulted in a high number of casualties in Sinaloa. The internal cartel strife intensified after a strategic kidnapping orchestrated by Joaquín Guzmán López, leading to a series of violent events and power struggles within the cartel. The complex web of corruption and criminal activities in Sinaloa continues to unfold, shedding light on the intricate ties between criminal elements and government officials.
Security Secretary Omar Harfuch has implicated a cell associated with the Chapitos in the abduction of employees from a Canadian mining company, further highlighting the deep-rooted issues of corruption and criminal influence in the region.