The Mexican government announced Saturday that the two U.S. federal agents who recently lost their lives in a car accident in northern Mexico were not authorized to participate in local operations.
The CIA agents died following a crash in the state of Chihuahua, allegedly while returning from the destruction of a clandestine drug lab. The exact role of the American officers in that mission remains uncertain, according to reports from the AP.
Local authorities indicated that the agents were part of a convoy when their vehicle plunged down a ravine last weekend, triggering an explosion. The crash also claimed the lives of two Mexican officers.
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) confirmed the identities of the deceased, according to a U.S. official and two other individuals familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. The agency has declined to issue an official comment regarding the incident.
Discrepancies in Official Reports
Mexico's Ministry of Security detailed in a statement that one of the American agents entered the country on a visitor's visa, while the second entered using a diplomatic passport.
The state agency asserted that the Mexican government had no knowledge of foreign agents conducting or planning operations on Mexican soil. The Ministry stated that it is currently reviewing the case alongside local authorities and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.
“Mexican law is clear: it does not permit the participation of foreign agents in operations within national territory,” the Ministry of Security stated in its declaration.
The statement also underscored the Mexican administration's commitment to its North American partners: “The Government of Mexico reiterates its readiness to maintain a close, serious, and respectful relationship with the Government of the United States for the benefit of the security of both countries.”
However, accounts between the two nations have shown contradictions. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum admitted last Wednesday that federal forces were involved, despite the Mexican government's initial stance that it had no knowledge of any U.S. operations or involvement.
