The governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state, Ruben Rocha Moya, has temporarily stepped down days after US authorities charged him in a sweeping drug trafficking indictment that has further strained bilateral relations. In a brief video statement, Rocha Moya again denied wrongdoing, saying he was taking “temporary leave” to defend himself against the allegations.

The indictment unsealed by US prosecutors this week alleged that Rocha Moya and nine other officials directly aided the Sinaloa drug cartel in smuggling operations in exchange for political support and bribes. It claimed cartel members kidnapped and threatened opposition candidates in the 2021 election and stole paper ballots cast for Rocha Moya's rivals.

Rocha Moya is a member of President Claudia Sheinbaum's progressive Morena party. “My conscience is clear,” he said in the video. “To my people and to my family, I can look you in the eye because I have never betrayed you, and I never will.”

The mayor of Culiacan, Sinaloa's capital, Juan de Dios Gamez Mendivil, also announced his resignation on Saturday, denying the allegations. Sheinbaum pushed back against the charges, stating her government had not been provided concrete evidence and suggesting the indictment was politically motivated.

Experts say charging Mexican elected officials marks a major escalation in the Trump administration's strategy. Vanda Felbab-Brown of the Brookings Institution called it a “nuclear option” and predicted more indictments are likely.

Source: www.aljazeera.com