Morena Sinaloa rejects crime allegations against Montiel

Reporting and context

Morena’s Sinaloa leadership rejected allegations by Chihuahua Governor María Eugenia Campos Galván that the party’s national leader, Ariadna Montiel Reyes, had ties to organized crime, Noroeste reported.

At a Wednesday news conference, state party leader Edgar Barraza Castillo backed Montiel and said anyone making such allegations should provide evidence to the appropriate authorities. Montiel also rejected the accusations and demanded that they be supported through legal channels.

According to Noroeste, the dispute followed Campos’ interviews with national media in which she described raising alleged links between Montiel and drug trafficking during a private conversation with President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. Sheinbaum confirmed the meeting and said she had told the governor to submit any evidence to the relevant authorities.

Barraza accused Campos of steering the discussion toward political confrontation rather than addressing questions about her own administration. The report placed that criticism in the context of investigations involving former Chihuahua prosecutor César Jáuregui Moreno and an anti-drug operation in which U.S. agents participated. It cited accounts suggesting the governor had not been informed promptly.

Noroeste reported that the operation had prompted a public dispute between Campos and the federal government over foreign-agent involvement, state officials’ responsibilities and possible irregularities. Barraza also criticized Campos for disclosing details of her conversation with Sheinbaum and said political differences should not replace legal procedures.

He separately addressed a news report alleging a relationship between Montiel and a person linked to criminal activity, urging careful handling of unverified accounts. Barraza supported a request for El Universal to review its reporting and issue any appropriate clarifications.

Original reporting: Noroeste.