MEXICO CITY, April 29 - The U.S. Justice Department announced on Wednesday that it has brought charges against Ruben Rocha, the governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state, along with several current and former officials, for their alleged collaboration with the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to the Justice Department, Rocha and the other accused conspired with leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel to channel substantial quantities of illegal drugs into the United States in exchange for political support and monetary payments. The indictment says Rocha was elected governor in 2021 with assistance from a faction of the cartel led by the sons of founder Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, a group commonly referred to as "Los Chapitos."
The Justice Department's account asserts that members of Los Chapitos engaged in kidnappings and intimidation of political rivals, and that those actions were linked to promises made by Rocha to let the group operate without interference and to facilitate the distribution of narcotics to the U.S.
Rocha's office responded that it had not yet received formal notification of the allegations and therefore had no further information to provide at this time.
The indictment extends beyond the governor, naming a range of present and former state officials. Also charged are the mayor of Culiacan and a former police commander for the state capital, which the Justice Department notes has long been afflicted by drug-related violence.
"Corruption that enables organized crime and harms both our countries will be investigated and prosecuted wherever U.S. jurisdiction applies," the U.S. Embassy in Mexico said in a separate statement after the indictment was announced.
The announcement followed a promise from Ambassador Ronald Johnson last week to take action on combating corruption in Mexico. The Justice Department's charges highlight alleged links between political actors and organized crime at both state and municipal levels.
Details in the indictment portray a relationship in which cartel influence intersected with electoral politics and local security structures, according to the Justice Department's statements. The named defendants encompass figures across the Sinaloa state government as well as local authorities in Culiacan.
With the U.S. Embassy framing the charges as part of a broader effort to address corruption that facilitates organized crime, the case centers on allegations of bribery, political collusion, and narcotics trafficking aimed at the U.S. market. Rocha's office has not issued further comment pending receipt of official documents.