President Claudia Sheinbaum stated during a press conference at the National Palace that she does not have the authority to remove governors, responding to the demands of protesters in Sinaloa who were calling for the resignation of Rubén Rocha Moya, the state governor, following the murder of Gael and Alexander Sarmiento, aged 9 and 12, along with their father amid violence generated by drug trafficking groups.
The president explained that her Administration works in coordination with municipal and state governmental institutions, while the removal of governors is not a decision that falls to them. Sheinbaum emphasized: "It is not the government's role; it belongs, in any case, to the prosecutors or the Attorney General of the Republic."
In this context, Sheinbaum reiterated her commitment to democracy and stated that her government's work focuses on ensuring safety and tranquility in Sinaloa. Despite the demands of the citizenry, she highlighted that the responsibility for containing violence in the state lies with the state government.
Since the beginning of the internal dispute in the Sinaloa Cartel in September, following the capture of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán Loera in the United States, the state has suffered more than 600 murders. Mass protests in Culiacán called for Rocha to resign, as he was accused of having ties to drug trafficking due to statements from Zambada suggesting a meeting between the two. Amid this scenario, the citizens have expressed their discontent and fear regarding the violence present in the region.
