Mexico's Morena party vows reforms after scandals rock its leadership

Mexico’s ruling party, Morena, has admitted serious flaws in its candidate selection process. The acknowledgment comes after high-profile scandals involving two of its members: a mayor accused of extortion and a governor linked to drug trafficking. Party leaders now promise stricter vetting ahead of the 2027 elections. Carolina Rangel Gracida, Secretary General of Morena’s National Executive Committee, took full responsibility for the party’s failures. She confirmed that Morena had allowed controversial figures, such as Rubén Rocha Moya and Diego Rivera Navarro, to gain power. Rocha Moya, the governor of Sinaloa, is currently on leave after U.S. authorities accused him of ties to drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Diego Rivera Navarro, mayor of Tequila, Jalisco, was arrested for allegedly leading an extortion ring targeting local tequila producers.

Rangel Gracida stressed that Morena remains Mexico’s largest party in terms of membership and public backing. Despite the scandals, she dismissed concerns that the party could lose its congressional majority in 2027. She also noted that Morena has grown large enough to be more selective about its members.

To prevent future issues, the party plans to strengthen its vetting procedures. New measures will include empowering party members and reinforcing internal committees. The goal is to ensure a more rigorous selection process for candidates in the next election cycle. Morena’s leadership has pledged to reform its candidate selection system before 2027. The changes follow recent arrests and allegations against two of its high-ranking officials. The party insists these steps will help maintain its position as Mexico’s dominant political force.