Homicide and extortion rates in Sinaloa have seen a significant spike during Governor Rubén Rocha Moya’s administration, according to a report by eluniversal.com.mx.
Statistics from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) show that homicide victims jumped from 478 in 2022 to 1,656 in 2025, marking an increase of 1,178 victims over that period.
The detailed report illustrates a steady progression of violence: 86 victims were documented in the final two months of 2021, followed by 478 in 2022, 531 in 2023, and 994 in 2024. During the first quarter of 2026, 293 cases were recorded, maintaining a monthly average of 76 murders.
Extortion rates have also trended upward. In 2022, there were 64 recorded victims, a figure that rose to 105 by 2025.
Security Crisis and Risk of Intervention
Armando Rodríguez Luna, an independent risk analysis consultant, noted that the leave of absence granted to the Morena governor by the State Congress presents significant challenges for both the federal government and the people of Sinaloa. According to the consultant, the lack of legitimacy within local institutions is hindering the exercise of authority.
Rodríguez Luna emphasized the need for federal intervention in security and justice to ensure the state's stability. He warned that the state's vulnerability could eventually lead to military intervention by the United States.
“That makes it even more vulnerable to a possible U.S. military intervention, similar to what happened in Venezuela with Nicolás Maduro... They already did it with Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada in a more clandestine manner, CIA-style, when they took him away,” the consultant remarked.
Meanwhile, Francisco Rivas Rodríguez, director of the National Citizen Observatory (ONC), stated that Rocha Moya will likely go down in history as Sinaloa's worst governor. Rivas Rodríguez described a profound security crisis where citizen mobility is restricted by constant danger.
“The reality is that the roads themselves—and even people—tell you where you can and cannot move,” the observatory director commented.
Dr. Arlene Ramírez Uresti, a professor at the Universidad Iberoamericana and expert in International Relations, interpreted Rocha Moya’s separation from office as a response from the Mexican government to pressure from the United States. According to the academic, the measure aims to ensure that due process is respected.
