President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Monday that the federal security cabinet will increase its presence in Sinaloa to protect Governor Rubén Rocha Moya [1].
The deployment follows a risk assessment and a U.S. extradition request against the governor, who has taken a leave of absence [1, 2]. The move signals the federal government's intent to maintain sovereignty and ensure the safety of high-ranking officials during legal disputes with foreign powers.
Sheinbaum said, "El Gabinete de Seguridad fortalecerá su presencia en Sinaloa" [1]. The president confirmed that elements of the National Guard will be assigned to protect Rocha Moya and coordinate security actions with the interim authority [1, 3].
Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said the federal strategy in the region is permanent. Harfuch said, "El Gobierno de México no se va a retirar de Sinaloa" [4]. While the federal government is increasing its footprint, Harfuch said there are no current indications that the governor will be attacked [5].
The operation is centered primarily in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa [2, 6]. Federal authorities are balancing the need to protect Rocha Moya with the requirement to coordinate with interim Governor Yeraldine Bonilla to maintain state stability [3].
This reinforcement comes at a time of heightened tension regarding judicial cooperation between Mexico and the U.S. The administration maintains that these measures are necessary to uphold principles of justice, and national sovereignty [1, 2].
“"El Gobierno de México no se va a retirar de Sinaloa."”
The deployment of federal forces to protect a governor facing a U.S. extradition request underscores the friction between Mexico's internal security priorities and its diplomatic relations with the U.S. By utilizing the National Guard to shield Rocha Moya, the Sheinbaum administration is asserting state sovereignty and signaling that legal requests from Washington will not automatically result in the surrender of high-level political figures without federal oversight.
