Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and Culiacan Mayor Juan de Dios Gámez Mendivil have temporarily stepped down from their posts following a US federal indictment accusing them of drug trafficking and bribery. Both officials deny the charges.

The US indictment alleges that Rocha Moya protected the powerful Sinaloa cartel and facilitated drug smuggling into the United States, receiving millions of dollars in bribes. The accusations come as the Trump administration pressures Mexico to crack down on cartels.

Rocha Moya stated, "My conscience is clear," adding that he could look his people and family in the eye because he had never betrayed them. He called the allegations "false and malicious" and implied they were an attempt to harm the left-leaning Morena party.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded cautiously, demanding "solid and irrefutable" evidence from the US. She announced that Mexican authorities would investigate and insisted that the officials should face trial in Mexico first. "We will never subordinate ourselves because this is a matter of the dignity of the Mexican people," she said.

The situation is further complicated by reports that two US agents, reportedly CIA personnel, died in a car accident during an unauthorized drug bust operation. Sheinbaum's administration is trying to balance the interests of the Morena party with Washington's demands.

Source: www.dw.com