Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya steps aside again following federal backlash over return

Second leave of absence in Sinaloa

On Saturday, 22 August 2026, the governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, announced that he is stepping away from his executive duties for the second time this year. The 77-year-old politician, elected under the banner of the ruling Morena party, published a formal letter on the social media platform X addressed to the state congress. In the document, Rocha Moya requested authorization for an indefinite temporary leave of absence lasting for a period of more than 30 days. The announcement came barely 24 hours after his unannounced return to his office on Friday, 21 August, which had surprised both regional officials and national political leaders. In his public statement, Rocha Moya did not elaborate on his specific personal motivations beyond expressing allegiance to the political movement.

Sinaloa, the nation and the transformation movement come first.

Reaction to office return and federal pushback

Rocha Moya had resumed working on Friday from his third-floor office at the state government palace in Culiacán, a move that drew swift condemnation across the political spectrum. Political figures described the sudden return as unacceptable and cynical, arguing that the governor acted as though the accusations against him had vanished. The federal government in Mexico City quickly pushed back against his actions. The Mexican Ministry of the Interior stated that the governor's decision to resume office was strictly personal and lacked federal backing. On 22 August, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered public remarks criticizing politicians who place their own personal interests ahead of the country.

Coalition solidarity and party response

Following Sheinbaum's remarks, state governors affiliated with the Fourth Transformation coalition issued a unified statement supporting the president. The political reform project, which originated under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and continues under Sheinbaum, includes Morena party governors from across the country. In their joint declaration, the governors emphasized the need to preserve institutional cohesion and adhere to the foundational principles of the Morena movement. The regional leaders affirmed that Sheinbaum guides Mexico with legitimacy, honesty, and leadership, while pledging that their respective state administrations remain committed to her national direction.

United States indictment and cartel ties

The political crisis in Sinaloa began on 1 May 2026, when prosecutors in New York requested Rocha Moya's arrest and extradition on drug trafficking charges. United States prosecutors charged Rocha Moya alongside nine other current and former Mexican officials with conspiring with the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute massive shipments of narcotics into the United States. American court filings also state that the Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel provided assistance during Rocha Moya's 2021 gubernatorial election campaign. United States authorities have focused heavily on the cartel's role in trafficking illicit fentanyl, a synthetic drug responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths across the United States in recent years.

Next steps for the state legislature

The Sinaloa state congress is now responsible for processing the governor's formal request and organizing the state administration. Rocha Moya's six-year term as governor originally began in 2021 and is scheduled to run until 31 December 2027. As of 23 August, legislative leaders in the state assembly have not yet scheduled an extraordinary session to debate the leave application or appoint a new interim governor. The assembly previously had to designate substitute leadership when Rocha Moya initially stepped aside in May, and lawmakers must now repeat the formal constitutional procedure to fill the executive post in Culiacán.