Mexican governor resigns from role days after US accuses him of Sinaloa Cartel ties

Ruben Rocha, the governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state, announced his resignation late Friday, days after the U.S. charged him and other ruling-party officials for alleged involvement with the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, escalating U.S. pressure on Mexico.

Rocha, who belongs to the ruling Morena party, vehemently denied the allegations against him, calling them false and ill-intended, but agreed to temporaility step aside from the job.

"I can look at my people and my family in the eye because I have not betrayed them and I will never betray them, and I will demonstrate that firmly at the moment when the institutions of justice of our country require it," he said.

The U.S. Department of Justice's move to accuse him and other MORENA officials of conspiring with leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel to import massive quantities of narcotics into the U.S. in exchange for political support and bribes has put Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum in an excruciating political position.

The U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and the Sinaloa state government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Morena (National Regeneration Movement) is Mexico's ruling left-wing political party, founded in 2014 and currently led by President Claudia Sheinbaum

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies