Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya has requested an indefinite leave of absence from his post, a move that comes just one day after he returned to office following a three-month absence. The leave was triggered by U.S. drug trafficking charges against him and nine other officials, who are alleged to have partnered with the Sinaloa cartel.
Rocha, 77, submitted a letter to the Sinaloa State Congress on August 22, requesting "temporary leave of an indefinite nature, for more than 30 days." The letter does not specify a return date or the reasons for his renewed departure.
His abrupt reversal follows his Friday announcement that he was returning to his duties, stating it was his "duty to fulfill the mandate" of voters. Rocha had been away for 112 days, during which he maintained his innocence and claimed he made himself available to Mexican authorities investigating what he called "false accusations" by the U.S. government.
"I am unrelated to and innocent of the fabrications woven against me," Rocha wrote on social media platform X. He asserted that the investigation had yielded no evidence of wrongdoing and accused political opponents of attempting to undermine Mexico's sovereignty and his political movement.
Rocha's return to office was met with a cool reception from Mexico's ruling Morena party and President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration. Morena stated it had no prior knowledge of Rocha's decision and distanced itself from the move. Mexico's Interior Ministry emphasized that Rocha's return was his own choice and that the attorney general's investigation remained active.
President Sheinbaum also issued a statement on X, cautioning that "No personal interest can ever stand above the interests of the people and the Nation." She added, "Mexico deserves public servants who understand that positions are temporary, but responsibility to the Nation is eternal."
U.S. prosecutors unsealed charges against Rocha and nine other current and former officials in April, alleging drug trafficking and related weapons offenses. Rocha is the first sitting Mexican governor to face charges from the U.S. The case has introduced strain into U.S.-Mexico relations, with Sheinbaum characterizing the charges as foreign interference and Mexico stating that Washington has not provided sufficient evidence for extradition.
Mexican Senator Lilly Tellez has criticized President Sheinbaum's administration for refusing to extradite officials, describing Mexico as operating like a "narco-state" and warning of deep corruption's implications for bilateral relations and border security.