A week after a U.S. indictment accusing Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya of drug trafficking and weapons offenses was unsealed, acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated that U.S. prosecutors will file more charges against Mexican politicians.
His comments on the subject came during an interview with U.S. cable news network NewsNation on Wednesday.
“So, could we see more indictments?” @DAGToddBlanche says “sure, yes. We’ve already indicted multiple government officials out of Mexico…”
The Acting AG explains what consequences they’re bringing to Mexican politicians tied to the criminal cartels. pic.twitter.com/td82aKCjbr
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) May 6, 2026
NewsNation immigration correspondent Ali Bradley highlighted that the Trump administration has “promised to bring consequences to Mexico when it comes to corrupt politicians that might have ties to the criminal cartels” and asked Blanche what consequences there could be for Mexican officials beyond revocations of their U.S. visas.
“Well, we announced last week that there has been an indictment filed against the governor down in Mexico,” Blanche responded.
“… I think that that’s something we’ve done in the past, but we’re certainly going to continue to do that,” he said.
Asked specifically whether “we could see more indictments” against Mexican officials, Blanche responded:
“Sure, yes, and we’ve already indicted multiple government officials out of Mexico, a judge recently as well. And so that’s something that will continue. One consequence of having a lot of the leaders of some of these cartels brought here over the past year … is some of them will likely want to cooperate and that cooperation could lead to additional charges.”
Since February 2025, Mexico has sent more than 90 cartel figures to the United States in three separate transfers. Beyond the people sent to the U.S. in those transfers, many other Mexicans accused of drug trafficking, including two sons of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera and Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, are in U.S. custody.
Rocha — who is currently on leave as the Federal Attorney General’s Office assesses the U.S. allegations against him and conducts its own investigation — is accused of colluding with the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, which is led by sons of Guzmán Loera. Nine other current and former Sinaloa-based officials, including a Morena party senator and the mayor of Culiacán, are accused of drug trafficking in the same indictment. Rocha, who also represents Morena, denies the U.S. allegations against him.
Last year, U.S. authorities revoked the U.S. tourist visa of Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila, who also represents Morena. She denied any wrongdoing, saying that the revocation of her visa was “an administrative decision, not an accusation.”
Blanche: ‘We have a very good relationship with the Mexican government’
After noting that an indictment had been filed against Rocha in the southern district of New York and indicating that more allegations against Mexican officials were likely forthcoming, Blanche added:
“By the way, we have a very good relationship with the Mexican government right now. I mean I think they recognize the importance of their relationship with us, and also that that relationship depends on cooperation and support in the immigration space, combating drug trafficking and things like that.”
Indeed, President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly said that her government is willing to cooperate with the United States on security as long as Mexican sovereignty is respected. However, she has made it clear that said cooperation doesn’t extend to handing over Rocha to the U.S. without hard proof demonstrating his probable guilt.
On repeated occasions, Sheinbaum has said that the superseding indictment published online by the U.S. Department of Justice is almost entirely devoid of “proof” against Rocha and the nine other defendants. Last week, she said that a handwritten list in the indictment that allegedly shows how much officials received in regular bribes from “Los Chapitos” is just “a sheet of paper.”
‘Send proof’: Sheinbaum reiterates her message to US authorities
At her Thursday morning press conference, Sheinbaum was asked to respond to Blanche’s statements indicating that more indictments will be filed against Mexican politicians.
“Proof,” she responded.
“… What have we said? Send proof because the extradition treaty or [the bilateral agreement] on mutual trust and collaboration has to do with sending proof,” Sheinbaum said.
🚨 “Envíen pruebas”, responde Claudia Sheinbaum luego de que el fiscal Todd Blanche advirtiera que habrá más acusaciones contra políticos mexicanos.
La presidenta insistió en que las detenciones deben apegarse a la ley mexicana; “también queremos que ellos cooperen y no han… pic.twitter.com/0ilLTAVybV
— El Universal (@El_Universal_Mx) May 7, 2026
“I’ve said it very clearly. We don’t protect anyone [who has committed a crime], but to arrest someone you have to comply with Mexican law,” she said.
“Proof,” Sheinbaum reiterated.
“They should send proof, but until now they haven’t sent proof,” she said.
Mexico News Daily
