US charges Mexican governor, top officials in cartel conspiracy as Mexico fires back over proof

The Mexican government is pushing back against a massive U.S. indictment announced Wednesday that accuses the governor of Sinaloa and ten other high-ranking officials of operating a deadly drug trafficking conspiracy with the Sinaloa Cartel.

Just hours after the U.S. confirmed charges alleging corrupt officials protected cartel leaders, facilitated shipments of fentanyl into the U.S. and helped torture and murder a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) source, Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) fired back, arguing the U.S. failed to provide proof.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York claims officials took millions in bribes from the "Chapitos" faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, allowed the cartel to operate with total impunity and helped transform the region into the global epicenter of the deadly narcotics trade.

In a public statement, Mexico's SRE confirmed the U.S. Embassy in Mexico received the extradition requests Tuesday night. However, after a legal review, the Mexican government said the U.S. documents "do not have evidentiary elements" to determine the officials are responsible for the alleged crimes.

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The SRE said it forwarded the requests to Mexico's Attorney General's Office, which will evaluate the evidence and decide if there is any legal viability to arrest and extradite the officials under the Mexican justice system.

The cartel bust has sparked immediate diplomatic friction between the two nations, with Mexico criticizing U.S. officials' decision to publicly announce the indictments. Mexican officials said existing bilateral treaties mandate strict confidentiality.

In response, the Mexican government said it is sending a formal diplomatic reprimand called an "extrañamiento" to the U.S. Embassy to formally protest how the charges were publicized.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson said the embassy "takes note" of the unsealing of criminal charges against Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya and others. 

"Combating corruption and transnational criminal activity is a shared priority for the United States and Mexico," Johnson wrote. "Our countries have pledged to strengthen transparency, enforce anti-corruption laws, and uphold the rule of law. This is what our citizens on both sides of the border want, and, as I have said repeatedly, this is what they deserve."

He added the U.S. will continue to work in close coordination with Mexico's leadership to "advance accountability, strengthen institutions, and promote security and prosperity for our peoples."

"We remain committed to a partnership grounded in mutual trust, shared responsibility, and the rule of law," Johnson wrote. "While we cannot comment on the individual facts of these indictments, and the legal process will need to play out, one thing is certain: corruption that enables organized crime and harms both our countries will be investigated and prosecuted wherever U.S. jurisdiction applies."

The White House and Mexico's Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York declined comment.