Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya is currently facing scrutiny from the United States Department of Justice, bringing renewed attention to allegations of organized crime interference during his rise to power. These developments follow a 2021 effort by Mexican opposition leaders to alert international bodies about what they termed a narcoelección
.
The Washington Dossier
On August 23, 2021, a delegation of Mexican opposition leaders traveled to Washington D.C. To present a 53-page dossier. The group was led by Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas of the PRI, Marko Cortés, then-national leader of the PAN, and Jesús Zambrano, former national leader of the now-extinct PRD.
The delegation sought high-level intervention, presenting their formal complaint to Luis Almagro Lemes, Secretary General of the OEA, and Juan S. González, then-principal director of the National Security Council for the Western Hemisphere. They also met with Jennifer Brown of the State Department and Tania Reneaum Panszi of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH).
Systematic Violence in Sinaloa
The dossier details a coordinated effort by armed groups to dismantle the opposition during the June 6, 2021, election day. In Culiacán, commands raided the home of PRI organization secretary José Alberto Salas Beltrán, who was beaten and kidnapped for 50 hours for possessing the names and addresses of the electoral structure.
Testimonies in the report describe mass kidnappings of political operators who were blindfolded with tape and warned, Stop the bullshit. I don’t want to see you in the street tomorrow
. The most severe threat documented was a direct order from sicarios to zone leaders: If Rocha doesn’t win, we are going to kill you all
.
Coercion extended across several municipalities. In Badiraguato, candidate Guadalupe Iribe Gascón withdrew after her operators were kidnapped. In Concordia, a PRD candidate was slapped in his home and ordered to leave the state, while in Guasave, regidora Martha Yolanda Dagnino and other officials were held by criminal groups until 06:00 in the evening, exactly when polls closed.
National Electoral Toll
The 53-page report provides a broader look at the 2020-2021 electoral cycle across Mexico. It records 1,066 crimes and aggressions against voters and politicians, including 102 intentional homicides of political figures.
According to the data, 24% of these attacks were carried out by armed commands. During the week immediately preceding the election, the report documents an average of 35 aggressions per day.
Current U.S. Investigations
Rubén Rocha Moya won the governorship with 56.60% of the vote, a victory achieved while state security authorities remained silent regarding reports of violence. Now, the detention of drug trafficker Ismael El Mayo Zambada and letters attributed to the capo have placed Rocha Moya at the center of a high-level U.S. Investigation.
The claims of links to the Sinaloa Cartel, originally raised by the opposition in 2021, are now part of the official narrative used by United States agencies. The detailed accounts of the Sinaloa case could potentially be integrated as evidence regarding Rocha Moya’s alleged ties to narcotics trafficking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the primary leaders that filed the complaint in Washington?
The delegation was led by Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas (PRI), Marko Cortés (PAN), and Jesús Zambrano (PRD).
What happened to José Alberto Salas Beltrán during the elections?
The PRI organization secretary was beaten and kidnapped for 50 hours because he held the list of names and addresses for the electoral structure monitoring the polls.
What was the final voting percentage for Rubén Rocha Moya?
Rubén Rocha Moya won the election with 56.60% of the votes.
How should international bodies balance the respect for national sovereignty with the need to investigate allegations of organized crime in elections?
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