Mexico freezes bank accounts of ex-officials investigated by US

MEXICO CITY, May 18 (Reuters) – Mexico has frozen the bank accounts of former officials accused by the United States of ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday, describing the move as a preventive measure rather than a domestic investigation.

Local media reported last week that Mexican financial authorities blocked the accounts of Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha and nine other current and former officials facing U.S. accusations of aiding drug traffickers.

When asked at the morning press conference why Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit, or UIF, froze the accounts, Sheinbaum said the agency would soon issue a statement explaining the action.

“Given that there are arrest warrants for 10 people in the United States, banks here – because they have relationships with banks there – are taking a number of measures,” Sheinbaum said. “UIF does this automatically, preemptively.”

Sheinbaum did not name Rocha or any other official in his speech, who is on leave from the ruling party Moreno. Rocha said he was innocent.

In an indictment announced April 29, U.S. prosecutors charged ‌Rocha and others with allegedly helping the Sinaloa Cartel smuggle drugs into the United States in exchange for political support and bribes.

Sheinbaum also said a number of senior U.S. cabinet officials, including drug czar Sara Carter and Homeland Security chief Markwayne ‌Mullin, will visit Mexico in the coming days.

Sheinbaum has previously said Mexico would not protect anyone who commits a crime, but said there was no clear evidence yet and suggested the U.S. case was politically motivated.

The case increased pressure on Sheinbaum as the United States expanded its anti-cartel campaign to target criminal groups as well as politicians and public officials.

Two former high-ranking Sinaloa officials charged in the same case were detained in the United States last week. Former public safety secretary Gerardo Merida ‌Sanchez was arrested in Arizona and appeared in Manhattan federal court; Former Sinaloa finance minister Enrique Diaz surrendered to US authorities.

(Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez, Daina Beth Solomon)