CIA agents Mexico: Government says Chihuahua crash victims were not authorised for operations

Mexico’s government said on Saturday that two US federal agents killed in a crash in the north were not authorised to join operations inside Mexico. The agents were returning from the destruction of a clandestine drug lab in Chihuahua. Officials said the circumstances around the agents’ role in that work remain unclear.

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Mexico’s Ministry of Security said the country’s rules bar foreign agents from taking part in operations on national territory. It said one US agent entered Mexico as a visitor. It also said the other arrived using a diplomatic passport. The ministry said Mexico was not aware of any foreign agents operating.

Mexico government statement on US federal agents

The ministry said it is checking the case with local authorities and the US Embassy in Mexico. It also pointed to national law and said participation by foreign agents is not permitted. The statement added: "The Government of Mexico reiterates its willingness to maintain a close, serious, and respectful relationship with the Government of the United States for the benefit of the security of both countries.\"

CIA agents killed in Mexico crash in Chihuahua

The Americans killed were from the CIA, The Associated Press confirmed earlier this week. AP cited a US official and two other people familiar with the matter. They spoke on the condition of anonymity due to sensitive intelligence issues. The CIA has declined to comment on the incident.

Local government officials said the agents were travelling in a convoy last weekend. The officials said the car went off a ravine and then exploded. Two Mexican officers also died in the same crash. The convoy had been returning after the destruction of the drug lab.

Contradictory accounts on US federal agents in Mexico

Officials in Mexico and the United States offered different versions of what happened. Mexico’s government earlier said it had no knowledge of any operation. It also said it had no knowledge of US involvement. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that federal forces were involved.

The Ministry of Security said the review remains underway with Mexican and US authorities. It did not clarify how the agents came to be linked to the operation. It also did not explain the chain of command for the convoy. The government repeated that it had not been aware of plans for foreign agents.

With inputs from PTI