Following the US indictment of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine officials for alleged Los Chapitos cartel ties, President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded irrefutable evidence on April 30 before any extraditions, rejecting what she called weak proof. PRI leader Alejandro 'Alito' Moreno urged canceling Morena's registration over organized crime links.
The US Southern District of New York's April 29 indictment accuses Rocha, Senator Enrique Inzunza Cázarez, Culiacán Mayor Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil, and seven others of conspiring with Los Chapitos to traffic fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, machine guns, and explosives into the US, allegedly in exchange for 2021 election support and bribes. (See prior coverage for full charge details.)
In her April 30 press conference, President Sheinbaum confirmed speaking with Rocha: “If there is nothing, there is nothing to fear.” She insisted the FGR needs solid proof to proceed with extradition requests received by SRE on April 28, dismissing the evidence as “a sheet of paper” citing aliases like ‘Juanito,’ ‘R1,’ and ‘Tornado.’ “We will not cover for anyone who committed a crime, but if there are no clear proofs, it is evident the goal is political,” she said, rejecting foreign interference.
Rocha denied the accusations: “Let us not get ahead of ourselves. I fear nothing because I feel like a clean person.”
PRI leader Alejandro 'Alito' Moreno demanded INE strip Morena of registration: “It is not a political party, it is an organized crime cartel.” The US House Foreign Affairs Committee hailed it as “just the beginning.” The American Society of Mexico called for transparent action under bilateral treaties.
