**US federal prosecutors indicted Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya in late April 2026 on charges of conspiring with the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel to facilitate drug trafficking into the United States in exchange for bribes and electoral assistance.** Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) reviewed the accompanying extradition request but found insufficient evidence to support provisional arrest or extradition, citing a lack of conclusive proof. Rocha, a Morena party member, denied the allegations as politically motivated, took a temporary leave of absence in early May 2026, returned to office in August, then requested an indefinite leave days later. As of early October 2026, he remains in Sinaloa without constitutional immunity (fuero), subject to ordinary legal processes, while federal investigations continue amid bilateral diplomatic tensions. Traders monitor FGR proceedings, any new evidence from US authorities, state legislative actions, and signals from the Sheinbaum administration for potential shifts in enforcement or political protection.