Mexican governor and mayor indicted in US drug case step down from posts

Two members of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s ruling party in Sinaloa have said they will temporarily step aside after the United States charged them, along with eight other politicians and security officials, in a sweeping drug trafficking case.

The indictment, which names 10 individuals, has shaken Mexico’s political establishment, raising concerns over alleged links between public officials and organised crime.

Senior leaders deny charges, step aside

In a late-night video statement, Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, the most senior figure named, strongly denied the accusations. US prosecutors allege he helped the Sinaloa cartel smuggle large quantities of drugs into the United States in exchange for political support and bribes.

Rocha rejected the claims, saying his “conscience is clear,” but announced he would take a temporary leave from office to defend himself and cooperate with the investigation.

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Culiacán Mayor Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil, also named in the indictment, echoed that move, stepping aside while denying wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Senator Enrique Inzunza said he would continue in office as he fights the charges.

Interim appointment and legal implications

Following Rocha’s decision, Sinaloa’s local congress approved his 30-day leave and appointed Yeraldine Bonilla Valverde as interim governor.

Legal observers say the move has significant implications. By stepping down, even temporarily, Rocha and Gámez Mendívil lose their immunity from prosecution, meaning they could now be detained like any other citizen.

Pressure mounts on Sheinbaum government

The case puts added pressure on President Sheinbaum, who is navigating a delicate balance between her government’s anti-corruption stance and mounting pressure from Washington to crack down harder on drug cartels.

While she has said her administration will not protect anyone found guilty, she has also firmly defended Mexico’s sovereignty, insisting that any legal proceedings should take place within the country.

For now, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office has said it will not immediately arrest the accused, even as it launches its own parallel probe.

Rocha, a close ally of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has dismissed the indictment as politically motivated, warning it could harm the ruling Morena party.

The allegations also revive past controversies. In 2024, Rocha was mentioned in a letter by a Sinaloa cartel figure who claimed he was on his way to meet the governor before being abducted by a rival faction and handed over to US authorities.