Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Despite Active U.S. Indictment

Rubén Rocha Moya resumed as Sinaloa's governor on August 21, 2026, nearly four months after stepping aside following a U.S. Justice Department indictment for drug trafficking and weapons offenses tied to the Sinaloa Cartel. The indictment — a formal criminal charge filed in a New York federal court — remains active, restricting his international travel but not his domestic authority. He denies all charges.