Mexican authorities are seeking further evidence before taking action on a U.S. request for the extradition of former Sinaloa governor Rubén Rocha, with court documents indicating links to the sons of notorious cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera.
President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated the government’s stance of awaiting concrete proof from the U.S. to support allegations that Rocha colluded with the Sinaloa cartel to secure his 2021 election victory. She emphasized that no one would be shielded without evidence.
An indictment released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on April 29 implicated Rocha, the mayor of Culiacan, a current Mexican senator, the state’s deputy attorney general, and several former law enforcement officials. The charges allege that Rocha provided state security resources to El Chapo’s sons in exchange for support during the election campaign.
Rocha, a member of the ruling National Regeneration Movement party (Morena) and closely associated with former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, resigned from his governor position on May 1 amid the unfolding case.
The investigation into Rocha emanated from a larger probe targeting the Sinaloa cartel’s extensive fentanyl operations, as revealed in U.S. court records. Analysts believe that evidence against Rocha likely stemmed from previous investigations involving the Chapitos, El Chapo’s sons.
The indictment against Rocha is part of a broader case against the fugitive Chapitos, Ivan Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, who head the Sinaloa cartel faction known as “La Chapiza.” The court documents detail the cartel’s involvement in fentanyl trafficking, including allegations of feeding victims to tigers and bribery schemes to sustain operations.
The power struggle within the Sinaloa cartel, particularly between the Chapitos and a faction loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s son, has led to a violent internal conflict resulting in thousands of deaths and disappearances in Sinaloa. Recent events, including the kidnapping of El Mayo and Rocha’s alleged involvement, underscore the complex web of corruption and criminal influence in the region.