Mexico’s Security Ministry declared Saturday that two Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers killed in an April 19 convoy crash had no authorization to participate in operations on Mexican territory. The Los Angeles Times reported the fatal mission was at least the third such CIA ground operation conducted alongside Chihuahua state authorities in 2026.
El Gabinete de Seguridad informa: pic.twitter.com/eNWvD6l4om
— Gabinete de Seguridad de México (@GabSeguridadMX) April 25, 2026
The two Americans died when their vehicle drove off a ravine in the Sierra Chihuahua mountains while returning from a raid on clandestine drug laboratories. Two Chihuahua State Investigation Agency (AEI) officials were also killed. Multiple U.S. officials confirmed to the Associated Press that the two Americans were CIA officers.
One agent entered the country as a visitor and the other traveled on a diplomatic passport, Mexico’s Security Ministry said. “Neither had formal accreditation to participate in operational activities within national territory,” the ministry stated. Federal authorities, the ministry added, had no advance knowledge of the operation.
Four U.S. officers participated in total, according to the Los Angeles Times. Two escaped in a second vehicle. The agents reportedly wore AEI uniforms to blend with Mexican security personnel.
U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson described the two as “embassy personnel” and said the incident “strengthens our resolve to continue their mission.” Chihuahua’s attorney general described them as “instructor officers” conducting routine training.
Criminal drug trafficking has historically been outside the CIA’s mandate, which centers on national security intelligence. Under the Trump administration, the designation of several Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations has expanded the agency’s counter-narcotics role in the region.
On Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed a formal diplomatic note was sent to Washington regarding a raid, stating that U.S. involvement in such operations is not standard protocol. She clarified that the federal government was unaware of foreign participation, emphasizing that Mexican law prohibits unauthorized foreign agents in domestic operations.
“Evidently, the military didn’t know there were people participating who weren’t Mexican citizens,” Sheinbaum said. Regarding the breach of protocol, she noted: “What we told [the U.S. government] was that the federal government didn’t know about the involvement of these people and we hope that it’s an exception.”
