United States prosecutors have brought charges against Mexico’s Sinaloa state Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine current and former officials, accusing them of links to the Sinaloa drug cartel in a move that could strain relations between the two countries.

An indictment unsealed on Wednesday in New York alleges that Rocha Moya, 76, and nine others worked with cartel leaders to move large quantities of narcotics into the US in exchange for political support and bribes. Prosecutors say support extended to Rocha Moya’s 2021 election campaign, when members of the cartel’s “Chapitos” faction allegedly helped secure his victory by kidnapping and threatening opposition candidates and stealing ballot papers.

The scheme was allegedly aided by Enrique Diaz Vega, who later became Rocha Moya’s secretary of administration and finance, and who reportedly provided the cartel with a list of opponents’ names and addresses so they could be pressured into dropping out of the race.

The US Justice Department said most of the suspects were aligned with the sons of Sinaloa cartel cofounder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. DEA administrator Terrance Cole described the cartel as a “designated terrorist organization” that relies on corruption and bribery.

Rocha Moya has rejected the charges as baseless and politically motivated, vowing to confront them “with dignity.” The Mexican government said the US extradition requests lacked sufficient evidence.

Experts say the indictment marks a shift in US strategy, potentially signaling more cases against sitting officials. The case puts pressure on President Claudia Sheinbaum, given Rocha Moya’s ties to the ruling Morena party and former President Lopez Obrador.

Source: www.aljazeera.com