Jorge Álvarez Máynez, national leader of Movimiento Ciudadano, alongside Deputy Gibrán Ramírez, has filed a formal complaint with the General Secretariat of the Chamber of Deputies to initiate impeachment proceedings against Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other public officials. The request follows allegations from the U.S. Department of Justice linking the officials to drug trafficking and firearms possession.
The complaint filed by the Movimiento Ciudadano leader seeks to strip immunity from Rocha Moya, Senator Enrique Inzunza, and Culiacán Mayor Juan de Dios Gámez Villamil. According to reports from El Universal, the U.S. allegations suggest these officials conspired with the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute drugs within the United States.
Using social media to justify the petition, Álvarez Máynez emphasized that those implicated must face justice transparently. "The bare minimum that the Sinaloa officials who have been formally accused by U.S. authorities can do is face this process without immunity," the Movimiento Ciudadel leader wrote, as reported by El Universal and El Financiero.
Political Reactions and Federal Stance
The request for immunity removal has triggered an immediate response from Mexican political figures. Morena Senator Gerardo Fernández Noroña criticized Movimiento Ciudadano's move, labeling it opportunistic. On social media, Noroña argued that the responsibility for requesting the proceedings lies with the appropriate judicial authorities. “The FGR [Attorney General's Office] is the one that should request the removal of immunity in this case. You are making no difference with your opportunism,” the legislator stated, according to El Financiero.
Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, for his part, categorically rejected the allegations linking him to organized crime. The state governor dismissed the accusations as baseless, claiming the attack is an attempt to undermine the structure of the 'Fourth Transformation' movement. Rocha Moya also denied that he had requested a leave of absence from his post to evade legal proceedings.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also addressed the case during her morning press conference. The President emphasized that her stance is rooted in defending national sovereignty and seeking the truth. Sheinbaum noted that if the Attorney General's Office (FGR) presents conclusive evidence under Mexican law, the institution must proceed with the appropriate investigations, according to El Universal.
Background and the Status of the FGR
The context of these allegations stems from operations and events involving cooperation between Mexico and the United States. El Financiero reports that the Attorney General's Office confirmed receiving an extradition request from the United States, though the institution has conditioned any potential arrests on the availability of sufficient evidence.
Ulises Lara López, a spokesperson for the FGR, warned of the need to handle information carefully to prevent leaks that could compromise the process. The official noted that the extradition request itself requires Mexico to take measures to ensure that investigation details are not made public, as has occurred in previous cases.
The political and security crisis in the region is compounded by a history of tensions surrounding the Sinaloa Cartel's control. Reports analyzed by El Financary link the current situation to events in 2024, including the transfer of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to U.S. territory and investigations into the murder of former rector Héctor Melesio Cuen—a case where the FGR determined that the initial narrative provided by Sinaloa local authorities was a fabrication.
