Mexican authorities says it’s searching for particulars after incident raises questions on US actions on its territory.
Published On 25 Apr 2026
The Mexican authorities has mentioned two federal agents from the United States killed in a automobile crash in reference to an anti-narcotics raid – broadly reported to be CIA officers – were not authorised to function on Mexican territory.
Mexico’s safety cupboard mentioned in an announcement on Saturday that one of many US residents had entered the nation as a customer and the opposite on a diplomatic passport.
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US authorities have not confirmed a slate of studies that the people were agents with the CIA, Washington’s high worldwide intelligence company, in Mexico as a part of a wider operation in opposition to drug trafficking.
“Neither had formal accreditation to participate in operational activities within national territory,” the assertion mentioned, stressing the necessity for “absolute respect” for Mexican sovereignty in the realm of worldwide cooperation.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has had to steadiness US calls for for extra aggressive steps in opposition to drug trafficking with a agency insistence on national sovereignty, mentioned earlier this week that her authorities would probe whether or not the nation’s nationwide safety legislation had been violated.
Under the legislation, international agents should obtain federal authorisation to function in the nation and can’t work straight with native officers with out approval.
“Evidently, the military didn’t know there were people participating who weren’t Mexican citizens … that there were foreigners participating in the operation,” Sheinbaum advised reporters earlier this week.
“This is something that Mexicans shouldn’t take lightly.”
Questions have swirled concerning the dying of the 2 US agents, in what authorities have mentioned was a automobile crash in the northern state of Chihuahua, final Sunday, in reference to a drug raid.
Following the deaths, US Ambassador Ronald Johnson described the 2 people as “embassy personnel”. The lawyer normal of Chihuahua, in the meantime, described the pair as “instructor officers” from the embassy finishing up common coaching work.
In an announcement, Johnson mentioned the incident “strengthens our resolve to continue their mission and advance our shared commitment to security and justice, to protect our people”.
Two Mexican officers were additionally killed in the crash, which has raised questions concerning the extent of US participation in actions on Mexican soil and whether or not the nation’s authorities has full information of such operations.
The Trump administration has pledged to take a militaristic approach to Latin America to stifle drug trafficking. It has sought to reframe prison organisations as “narco-terrorists” searching for to destabilise the US, designating a number of as “foreign terrorist organisations”.
Criminal drug trafficking has traditionally been outdoors of the purview of the CIA, which has targeted on intelligence gathering associated to nationwide safety.
Under Trump, the US has unilaterally launched strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean and kidnapped Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro, campaigns which were condemned as blatant violations of worldwide rights.
In March, the US navy additionally launched a joint assault with the federal government of Ecuador in opposition to a cartel in the nation.
Sheinbaum has dominated out any US navy presence in Mexico.
On Saturday, Mexico’s safety cupboard mentioned it welcomes coordination with the US in the type of intelligence sharing, institutional coordination, and technical collaboration.
It added that cooperation should proceed from a spot of mutual belief.
