Mexico’s Sheinbaum questions US claims of drug ties to Sinaloa governor

US prosecutors unseal indictment charging Ruben Rocha and 9 others implicit alleged Sinaloa cartel links.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formed uncertainty connected accusations by the United States that Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha collaborated with the Sinaloa cause cartel aft US prosecutors charged him with having ties to organised crime.

“My presumption connected these events is arsenic follows: truth, justness and the defence of sovereignty,” Sheinbaum said connected Thursday. She added that the US claims deficiency credibility unless they are backed by existent evidence.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 1US indicts Sinaloa governor, 9 others implicit Mexican cause cartel links

“If the Attorney General’s Office, which is the competent authority, receives wide and irrefutable grounds nether Mexican instrumentality oregon if its ain probe finds elements constituting a crime, it indispensable proceed successful accordance with the instrumentality nether our jurisdiction,” she added.

She stressed that immoderate wrongdoing would beryllium addressed if proven.

“We volition not shield anyone who has committed a crime; however, if determination is nary wide evidence, it is evident that the purpose of these charges by the [US] Department of Justice is political,” she added.

The comments travel aft US prosecutors unsealed an indictment successful New York charging Rocha and 9 existent and erstwhile officials with alleged links to the Sinaloa Cartel successful a lawsuit that could strain relations betwixt the 2 neighbours.

Alleged cartel links

Prosecutors accused the radical of moving with cartel leaders to determination ample quantities of narcotics into the US successful speech for governmental enactment and bribes.

They said the alleged links extended to Rocha’s 2021 gubernatorial run erstwhile members of the cartel’s “Chapitos” faction are accused of backing his bid by interfering successful the vote, including stealing ballots and ballot boxes and kidnapping and intimidating absorption candidates.

US authorities said respective of those charged were aligned with the sons of jailed cartel cofounder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and officials utilized their positions to shield cartel operations.

The indictment comes amid a broader US crackdown connected elder figures wrong the Sinaloa Cartel, including members of the “Chapitos” faction. Authorities person arrested cardinal figures, specified arsenic Ovidio Guzman, who was captured by Mexican forces successful 2023 and aboriginal extradited to the US, portion Joaquin Guzman Lopez is besides present successful US custody. Longtime cartel person Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who for decades evaded capture, was taken into US custody successful 2024.

Rocha has denied the allegations, calling them unfounded and politically driven, and has said helium volition situation them and show they deficiency immoderate basis.

“This onslaught is not lone against me, but against the Fourth Transformation movement, its emblematic leaders, and the Mexican radical who correspond that cause,” helium said successful a statement. The Fourth Transformation was policies undertaken by erstwhile President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that centre astir nationalist development.

Translation: I categorically and perfectly cull the accusations brought against maine by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York arsenic they deficiency information and immoderate foundation. This volition beryllium demonstrated, unequivocally, astatine the due time.

Spotlight connected Mexico’s adjacent move

Rocha Moya, a longtime Morena fig and erstwhile senator, won the Sinaloa governorship successful 2021 and has remained politically aligned with Lopez Obrador.

Analysts said that what happens successful the adjacent fewer days remains critical.

“How volition the Sheinbaum medication respond is simply a large happening to ticker successful the adjacent days,” Vanda Felbab-Brown, an adept connected non-state equipped groups astatine the Brookings Institution deliberation vessel successful Washington, DC, said.

She added that if the indicted officials were extradited to the US, it could springiness US authorities a clearer representation of the alleged corruption wrong the authorities and the Morena party.

“It is precise apt that the US interrogations and astir apt plea bargain with Ovidio and Joaquin Guzman and possibly El Mayo provided important grounds for those indictments,” she added.

The lawsuit unfolded arsenic Mexico’s authorities has stepped up efforts to face almighty cause cartels, carrying retired a bid of high-profile operations targeting organised transgression figures successful caller months, including the sidesplitting by information forces of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, who led the almighty Jalisco New Generation Cartel.