The recent US request to extradite the governor of Sinaloa, Ruben Rocha Moya, whom they accuse of links to drug trafficking, means that Mexico is entering uncharted territory in its relationship with its northern neighbor, as it directly points to the alleged criminal activities of a sitting governor belonging to the ruling party, the National Regeneration Movement (Morena).

Amid a political storm following the Justice Department's indictment of the governor and nine other high-ranking officials in Sinaloa, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum faces a "turning point" in the bilateral relationship with the United States, Andres Sumano, a researcher at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte, told EFE on Saturday.

Furthermore, it poses a significant "challenge" to Mexico's security policy, which had recently achieved "very notable" results, such as the killing of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). “El Mencho,” and the arrest last week of his alleged successor, known as “El Jardinero.”

After the initial shock, he added, it is up to Sheinbaum to make a decision, who, according to Sumano, only has three possible scenarios: “to shelter and protect” this group of politicians—which “is what she seems to be doing,” he said—; to hand them over to the United States; or to initiate proceedings against them in Mexico.

“This last one seems to me, so far, to be the best option of all those she has, but it will obviously imply internal divisions within Morena (the ruling party),” he pointed out.

For now, he sees that the president has opted to “buy time” by reiterating that evidence is needed and deferring to the decision of the Public Prosecutor's Office.Although there will come a time when the deadlines will expire, as well as the patience of the US administration.

“A very hard blow”

In the hypothetical case that Mexico chooses not to hand over the governor of Sinaloa, the researcher warned that this would open the door to various reprisals from the US government.

From economic pressure to the most extreme case: that Washington intervenes by sending military personnel to take the politician away, something that the professor at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte considers unlikely.

In fact, if Mexico's response is not satisfactory to the White House, he does not rule out the possibility of similar proceedings being opened against other high-level politicians, since the current one is limited to Sinaloa.

Despite the official discourse, Sumano stated that the accusation against the state officials is formal and has been reviewed by a jury that considers there is sufficient evidence to request the order. of arrest.

“This is a very strong blow because it is no longer a matter of narrative (…) The cases have already been compiled, they have already gone through a grand jury, there is already a formal indictment,” he said.

With information from EFE.