Sheinbaum welcomes the decision by governor accused of drug trafficking in the US to forgo returning to office in Mexico
"It's the best thing for Sinaloa," the president told reporters at an official event. "I haven't spoken with him since the first time he requested a leave of absence."
Governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa
On Sunday Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed the decision by the ruling-party governor accused of drug trafficking by the United States to abandon his bid to return to office following a brief attempt that sparked criticism even among his own allies.
Rubén Rocha Moya took a new indefinite leave of absence on Saturday from his post as governor of Sinaloa, a key state for drug trafficking. This follows another leave of absence lasting nearly four months that he requested when U.S. authorities sought his arrest and extradition for alleged links to the powerful cartel founded by Joaquín "Chapo" Guzmán.
Rocha denies any ties to organized crime and had announced his return to the governor's office last Friday.
On Sunday, the Sinaloa state legislature unanimously approved his removal from office, and today, Monday, it will elect an interim governor. Yeraldine Bonilla, secretary of the interior, who served in the role during his first leave of absence, has been placed in charge.
On Friday, following Rocha Moya's return, a political upheaval ensued. Sheinbaum, the ruling Morena party, to which both belong and other leaders criticized the decision.
Rocha reversed his decision on Saturday.
"It's what's best for Sinaloa," Sheinbaum told reporters at an official event. "I haven't spoken with him since the first time he requested a leave of absence."
"He made the personal decision to return; it was also a personal decision to step down," added the president, who had strongly criticized Rocha's actions the day before.
Early Saturday, the president wrote on X that "no personal interest can ever take precedence over the interests of the people" and of Mexico.
"Power without principles becomes arrogance; power without limits becomes abuse," she added at the time, without naming names.
First time sitting Mexican politicians have been accused of these charges
Rocha Moya and nine other ruling-party officials are accused by the United States of having ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. This is the first time that sitting Mexican politicians have been accused by U.S. authorities of ties to drug cartels.
Sheinbaum is under pressure from the Trump administration, which has stated that drug traffickers rule Mexico.
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