President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit froze the bank accounts of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and other officials.
This action signals a significant escalation in the Mexican government's approach to officials accused of ties to organized crime. The freeze targets high-level political figures, including a governor, which could impact regional stability and judicial proceedings.
Sheinbaum said the action taken by the Financial Intelligence Unit, known as the UIF, was preventive. The measure follows the inclusion of Rocha Moya and other officials on the List of Blocked Persons due to alleged links with drug trafficking and an order from a New York court [1], [2].
According to reports, the UIF froze the accounts of 10 individuals [3]. Other records specify that the group consists of Rocha Moya and nine other accused drug traffickers [4]. The public confirmation of these freezes occurred on May 18 and 19 [5], [6].
"The action is preventive and the UIF will issue a statement on the matter," Sheinbaum said [7].
A spokesperson for the UIF clarified the scope of the operation. The spokesperson said the agency included Rocha Moya and nine other officials on the Blocked Persons List with a strictly preventive character [8].
"The UIF froze the accounts of Governor Rubén Rocha Moya preventively," Sheinbaum said [9].
The UIF operates under the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit. Its ability to block accounts preventively allows the state to secure assets before a final judicial determination is reached in cases involving international legal orders or national security threats.
“The action is preventive and the UIF will issue a statement on the matter.”
The freezing of assets for a sitting governor based on a New York court order demonstrates the influence of U.S. judicial actions on Mexican internal governance. By classifying the move as 'preventive,' the Sheinbaum administration is attempting to balance legal compliance with international anti-drug trafficking standards while avoiding an immediate criminal conviction before the domestic legal process concludes.
