00:00The Governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, and the Mayor of Culiacán,
00:06Juan de Dios Mendeeville, have requested temporary leave of absence amid an ongoing investigation
00:12launched by the Attorney's General Office.
00:14The decision comes after both authorities, together with eight other current or former
00:19high-ranking officials, were invicted by the United States Department of Justice on drug
00:25trafficking charges.
00:26The accusations, which prompted a proof by the Public Prosecutor's Office, have been
00:31denied by Governor Rocha, who assured that his temporary step-down is intended to avoid
00:37any interference with the ongoing investigation.
00:39In the aftermath of Rocha's announcement, the Culiacán City Council unanimously approved
00:44Mayor Gaiman's similar request, granting him a leave of absence under the same premises.
01:00My conscience is clear.
01:02A lifetime of hard work backs up my words.
01:06I say this clearly and unambiguously the accusations leveled against me are false and malicious.
01:15I can look my people and my family in the eye because I have not betrayed them, and I never
01:21will.
01:24I will prove this unwaveringly when our country's justice system requires it.
01:32I will not allow myself to be used to harm the movement to which I belong, and which has changed
01:39the lives of millions of Mexicans for the better. For decades, they were victims of those who believed
01:46they had the right to deprive them of even the most basic necessities. Mexico will continue to change
01:53for the better because we have a strong people, a lot of people.
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