The Morena party demonstrated a significant lack of unity in defending Sinaloa's acting governor, Rubén Rocha Moya, during its VIII Extraordinary National Congress in Mexico City. Unlike previous political crises, the party's leadership refrained from issuing a statement of solidarity for the governor, who faces accusations in the United States regarding alleged links to organized crime.
At the event held at the World Trade Center, the lack of unanimous support was palpable. According to reports from El Universal, Rocha Moya's name was not even mentioned during the forum, and an attempt by Sinaloa delegates to organize a chant in the governor's honor was largely ignored by the majority of attendees.
Senators and deputies from the ruling party opted to distance themselves from the governor. Various Morena figures interviewed by El Universal indicated that, once he leaves office, Rocha Moya must face the consequences of investigations being conducted by the Attorney General's Office (FGR).
Allegations of kidnapping and alleged impunity in Sinaloa
The governor's political situation coincides with serious allegations of criminality within his state. According to El Financiero, victims of kidnappings that occurred during the 2021 elections in Sinaloa claim that complaints filed with the FGR since last February have failed to gain traction.
Miguel Ángel Murillo, leader of the Frente Cívico Sinaloense, denounced that both local and federal authorities have ignored the evidence presented. “Bluntly put, they have said, ‘nothing is happening here, there are insufficient elements to open an investigation, to initiate impeachment, or to initiate a separation of powers,'” Murillo stated in an interview with El Financiero.
Murillo also pointed to alleged irregularities in the electoral process, noting that the case fell under the jurisdiction of Magistrate Aida Inzunza, the sister of Senator Enrique Inzunza, who is also wanted by U.S. justice. The leader claimed that local institutions and state powers were operating under the control of a group linked to the cartel.
Among the victims of these events is PRI local deputy Paola Gárel, who described the 2021 election as a “narco election.” The allegations also include findings from the FGR regarding an alleged cover-up of the murder of Héctor Melesio Cuén—an investigation that was handled by authorities noted for their close ties to Rocha Moya.
Within the Morena leadership, the stance was one of caution. Deputy Dolores Padierna rejected claims that the party is a “narco-party” and stated that, once Rocha Moya leaves the governorship, he must be “at the mercy of what the authorities say, as they have a job to do,” according to El Universal.
Meanwhile, Senator Gerardo Fernández Noroña was the only one to express confidence in the governor's innocence, though he warned that if guilt is proven, “there will be no impunity in this or any other case.” In contrast, Senator Manuel Huerta Ladrón de Guevara stated that he does not know Rocha Moya and that it is not the responsibility of President Sheinbaum or former President López Obrador to back him, noting that the law and the Constitution exist for that purpose.
