Rubén Rocha Moya announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing a desire to spend more time with his unindicted co-conspirators. The decision comes after U.S. prosecutors accused him of moonlighting as a public servant while on the cartel payroll.
CULIACÁN — The ceiling fan in the governor’s palacio clicked rhythmically against its housing, doing little to dry a ring of spilled Topo Chico on the mahogany desk. Rubén Rocha Moya packed his leather briefcase on Tuesday, formally ending a tenure characterized by a seamless public-private partnership with the Sinaloa Cartel. U.S. prosecutors recently alleged the governor provided state protection in exchange for campaign funding, prompting swift concern from cartel leadership regarding the reputational risk of being openly associated with an elected official.
We simply cannot afford the public relations nightmare of our organization being tied to a regional politician.
Rocha Moya will retain his state pension and reportedly plans to transition into a private consulting role. Associates say the former governor looks forward to advising mid-level cartel management on the complexities of municipal zoning laws without the burdensome, day-to-day oversight of the voting public.