A member of Mexico's ruling Morena party, Ruben Rocha Moya had led the state of Sinaloa since 2021. Along with nine other Mexican officials, he stands accused of having ties to the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel.

The Sinaloa Cartel is one of six Mexican narcotrafficking groups designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

The governor of Sinaloa, Rúben Rocha Moya, hails from the same party as the president of Mexico.