Mexico said Saturday that two US agents who died after an operation to dismantle a suspected Mexican narcotics lab had no permission to be carrying out operations of this kind. The April 19 incident in the northern state of Chihuahua, which also left two Mexican officials dead, has created fresh diplomatic friction between the United States and Mexico, and heaped pressure on President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Immigration records showed that one of the two agents entered the country as a “visitor” while the other used a “diplomatic passport,” Mexico’s security ministry said in a statement. “Neither had formal accreditation to participate in operational activities within national territory.”
Several US media outlets have reported that the two Americans, who have not been identified, worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. The US ambassador in Mexico has said they were US embassy employees. The security ministry’s statement noted that Mexican law forbids foreign agents from participating in operations on Mexican soil.
The incident has heightened tensions between the two countries, which have long cooperated on security matters but have also faced disputes over cross-border operations. The Mexican government emphasized that any foreign involvement in domestic law enforcement must be properly authorized and transparent.
President Sheinbaum faces growing scrutiny over the handling of the case, as opposition figures demand accountability and clarity regarding the presence and activities of foreign agents. The US government has not officially confirmed the affiliation of the deceased agents, but the embassy has offered condolences and pledged cooperation in the investigation.
