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Sinaloa governor steps down again following backlash over US drug charges

Rubén Rocha Moya requested an indefinite leave of absence just one day after resuming office, facing strong pushback from President Claudia Sheinbaum and party leaders.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 02:15 UTC5 reports

The short version

  • Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya requested an indefinite leave of absence exceeding 30 days, reversing his return to office after only one day.
  • The reversal followed swift, widespread criticism from his own Morena party, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
  • Rocha Moya was indicted by U.S. federal prosecutors in April on charges of conspiring with the Sinaloa cartel to traffic narcotics.
  • State lawmakers are expected to consider and approve his leave request while the Mexican Attorney General's investigation remains ongoing.

Key facts

  • Rubén Rocha Moya announced he was requesting a temporary leave of absence of indefinite duration exceeding 30 days from the Sinaloa State Congress.[Fox News · Associated Press · CBS News]
  • Rocha Moya had initially returned to his post on Friday after nearly four months away, claiming Mexican investigators found no evidence of criminal conduct against him.[Fox News · Associated Press]
  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Morena party leadership publicly distanced themselves from his return, stating that national interests must take precedence over personal ambitions.[Deutsche Welle · Associated Press · CBS News]
  • In April, U.S. federal prosecutors indicted Rocha Moya and nine other current and former Mexican officials, accusing them of accepting bribes to protect Sinaloa cartel drug operations.[Associated Press · CBS News · ABC News]
  • Rocha Moya has denied all allegations, asserting that the U.S. charges are fabricated and politically motivated.[Fox News · Associated Press]
  • The Mexican government has rejected U.S. requests to arrest and extradite Rocha Moya, maintaining that insufficient evidence was provided and that any prosecution should occur domestically.[Fox News · Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether taking a temporary or indefinite leave strips Rocha Moya of his constitutional immunity from criminal prosecution remains a matter of dispute among legal scholars in Mexico.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • The formal status of the Mexican Attorney General's Office probe into Rocha Moya remains conflictingly described, with Rocha Moya claiming no evidence was found while the Interior Ministry stated the inquiry remains open.[Fox News · Associated Press]

Sources