Things are happening rather quickly in the storyline of Sinaloa political leadership and the indictments by U.S. Dept of Justice officials.

In the latest development, following the Tucson, Arizona, capture of Gerardo Mérida, a retired Mexican army general who served as public-security secretary in northwestern Sinaloa state, today Sinaloa Senator Enrique Inzunza Cazárez, who is also facing drug trafficking and weapon charges, was taken into custody in San Diego by the DEA.

Both Merida and Cazarez were named in the lengthy indictment that included current Sinaloa Governor Rocha Moya, who, if ground reports are accurate, appears to be hiding while protected by the Mexican national guard.

Here’s where it gets really interesting.  According to the New York Post reporting, businessman Enrique Diaz Vega – another name from the indictment – also turned himself into U.S. authorities in Arizona last Friday.  That means four of the ten men named are currently in custody, with Governor Rocha Moya hiding out in Mexico.

However, it gets even more interesting when highlighted with this section:

… “Inzunza Cázares’ lawyers reportedly held talks with the Department of Justice for his voluntary surrender and to become a government witness, Mexican newspaper El Universal reported May 2.”… {link} “A drug trafficker who surrenders and offers information primarily falls under the category of a cooperating witness,” a Department of Justice source told the outlet.

However, Inzunza Cázares shut down the report the same day.  “Utterly false,” he wrote on X.

So, three days after the primary indictment was announced, Inzunza Cazares is reported to be working with the DEA and DOJ. He denies cooperation while in Mexico, and then two weeks later turns himself in to the DEA in San Diego.

It sounds like each of the men turning themselves in to U.S. authorities were facing a rather dangerous Hobson’s choice.

If they stayed in Mexico the Sinaloa cartel would consider them a threat, and it is likely that threat would be eliminated.  After all, cooperation would be detrimental to the interests of the cartel. Or Senator Cazares, General Merida and businessman Vega could flee from that threat, turn themselves in and hope to live.  It appears they chose the latter.

The New York Post – […] Sinaloa Senator Enrique Inzunza Cazárez, who is facing drug trafficking and weapon charges, was taken into custody in San Diego by the Drug Enforcement Administration, multiple Mexican news outlets reported on Saturday.

Inzunza Cazárez, a member of the ruling Morena party, has held office since August 2024 and previously served as the Secretary General of Sinaloa under Governor Ruben Rocha Moya, who was also indicted and stepped down May 2.

According to the 34-page superseding indictment, the Sinaloa Senator conspired with the Sinaloa Cartel faction Los Chapitos – which is run by Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán’s sons, to import drugs to the United States.

Inzunza Cazárez is accused of meeting with Los Chapitos leaders “and agreed on specific plans for the government in Sinaloa, under Rocha Moya, to support and protect the cartel for favors from the cartel that, in turn, help the defendants and other corrupt officials in power.” (source)

Sinaloa Governor Rocha Moya stepped down but his whereabouts are unknown.

With three of the officials now in custody and reports of cooperation very visible in the headlines, is it only a matter of time before Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is forced to extradite Rocha Moya?…  Or will the Sinaloa cartel just eliminate the threat Moya represents.

Perhaps the answer within that outcome determines who is in charge of Mexico, President Sheinbaum (Morena party) or the Cartels (Morena party).

Left, President Claudia Sheinbaum – Right, Governor Rocha Moya

~ 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy, page 10 ~