The government of Sinaloa confirmed on the night of October 29, 2026 that Eneyda Rocha Ruiz, daughter of the governor on leave Rubén Rocha Moya, is no longer head of the state DIF System. The announcement was released around 20:30 hours, after interim governor Graciela Domínguez Nava swore in Mercedes Ibarra as the new head of the institution.
- No official reasons: the state statement did not explain why Eneyda Rocha Ruiz was removed from the position.
- Two months of interim governance: the departure comes two months after Domínguez Nava took over the Executive branch, replacing Rocha Moya, whom Washington links to the Sinaloa Cartel.
- New honorary president: in assembly, the DIF board appointed Catalina Esparza Navarrete to that role.
Changes in the leadership of the Sinaloa DIF
According to the state government, the members of the board of the Sinaloa DIF System, under the direction of Mercedes Ibarra, agreed in assembly to give Catalina Esparza Navarrete the honorary presidency. The stated goal is to maintain close attention to the demands of the Sinaloa population.
Esparza Navarrete thanked the trust placed in her and said her work will focus on vulnerable sectors: children and adolescents, young people, older adults, and families in the state.
Her background includes a bachelor's degree in Primary Education, a master's in Basic Education, and a doctorate in Education with a specialization in Teaching and Research. She previously served as a classroom teacher, supervisor, and head of an educational sector; she also held the top position at the state Secretariat of Public Education and the Undersecretariat of Basic Education.
Rocha Moya's leave and the political context
The departure of Rocha Moya's daughter is part of a series of adjustments that began when the governor on leave left office in August of this year. At that time he attempted to reassume the governorship, but his return lasted just over 30 hours and ended in a new request for indefinite leave.
Rocha Moya requested separation from the position after President Claudia Sheinbaum and Morena distanced themselves from his decision to return to govern. The Secretariat of the Interior (Segob) also described that return as a personal determination of the Sinaloa politician.
“Sinaloa, the nation and the transformation movement are above all else,” Rocha Moya said alongside a photograph of a document he shared on his official channels.
The governor on leave remains under scrutiny since the United States Department of Justice accused him on April 29 of alleged links to the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. He requested his first leave on May 1.
Congress and the arrival of Domínguez Nava
The Congress of Sinaloa appointed Graciela Domínguez Nava as interim governor with 31 votes in favor, 6 against, and 3 null. The Morena legislator took office amid the political and security crisis affecting the entity.
With this replacement, the interim administration reorganizes the state DIF in a context of high political sensitivity. The departure of Eneyda Rocha Ruiz, without a public explanation, fuels the interpretation of an internal reshuffle following Rubén Rocha Moya's leave, while Sinaloa bears the consequences of the U.S. accusations and the pressure on its political class.