The recent indictment of Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya has intensified pressure on Mexico's political establishment, with U.S. authorities reportedly expanding investigations into alleged ties between politicians and drug trafficking organizations.
The case also exposed new details about Rocha Moya's alleged relationship with the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, whose leaders are reportedly exploring potential agreements with U.S. authorities in exchange for reduced sentences.
According to the indictment, the faction led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán helped Rocha Moya secure the governorship by allegedly sending armed men to intimidate rival candidates, steal ballots and threaten voters during the election. Prosecutors allege that once in office, Rocha Moya allowed Los Chapitos to operate with impunity.
But according to a report by the Los Angeles Times, the same Los Chapitos leaders may have provided U.S. investigators with information that helped build the case against Rocha Moya as part of broader negotiations tied to possible surrender agreements.
Citing two anonymous sources familiar with the matter, the Los Angeles Times reported that Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and his brother Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar have been in contact with U.S. authorities regarding a possible negotiated surrender.
The discussions reportedly have been ongoing for more than a year, with the brothers allegedly waiting to see how the cases involving their half-brothers, Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López, unfold before deciding their next move.
That theory is supported by several moves taken by prosecutors and the defendants in recent months.
As noted by Infobae México, in July 2025, Iván Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo, who remain fugitives, formally hired attorney Jeffrey Lichtman as their legal representative. Lichtman already represented Ovidio and Joaquín, as well as "El Chapo" Guzmán during his 2019 trial.
For journalist Arturo Ángel, the move pointed to two possible scenarios: "Either Iván and Jesús Alfredo no longer see arrest as a distant possibility, or they are considering a surrender strategy. They are preparing their defense."
Joaquín Guzmán López reached a cooperation agreement after surrendering his godfather and Sinaloa Cartel co-founder, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, to U.S. authorities in July 2024. In exchange, Joaquín negotiated a minimum 10-year sentence, according to a transcript of his plea hearing reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 1, 2026.
Similarly, Ovidio Guzmán López pleaded guilty to several charges in July 2025, and reports suggest he also is cooperating with authorities ahead of his July 27 hearing.
According to reports, the two remaining Los Chapitos leaders still at large are waiting to see the outcome of negotiations between their half-brothers and U.S. prosecutors before making a decision.
In another notable development, Judge Virginia M. Kendall signed an order last month reassigning the cases of Iván Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo to Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, who already oversees the cases involving Ovidio and Joaquín Guzmán López.
For Ángel, the move could be interpreted as a strategy to ensure that if the remaining Chapitos are captured or surrender, they could appear without delays before the same judge already familiar with their cases.
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