Role of US officials killed in crash in Mexico under scrutiny

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has initiated an inquiry into the involvement of two U.S. officials in a counter-narcotics operation in the northern state of Chihuahua. The incident occurred when their vehicle overturned on the return journey from a mission to dismantle illegal drug labs, according to local authorities. Two Mexican officials also perished in the crash.

Sheinbaum stated that neither she nor top members of her federal security team were aware of any joint U.S.-Mexico operations. The president emphasized that foreign agents must have prior federal approval to operate on Mexican soil. This stance has drawn criticism from her U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, who has urged Mexico to take stronger measures against drug trafficking.

“We did not have knowledge of any direct work between Chihuahua state and personnel from the U.S. embassy,” Sheinbaum reiterated on Monday.

A Chihuahua state official reported that the crash took place on Sunday morning, with the car plunging into a ravine and bursting into flames. The U.S. ambassador in Mexico, Ronald Johnson, confirmed the victims were “U.S. embassy personnel.” Chihuahua State Attorney-General César Jáuregui described them as “instructor officers” conducting “training work” under routine collaboration with U.S. authorities.

Jáuregui added that the accident occurred as the officials were traveling back from an operation that destroyed multiple clandestine drug labs. He noted the journey was approximately eight to nine hours from the operation site. Sheinbaum reiterated her government’s concern, stating they sought clarification from both the U.S. embassy and Chihuahua state officials to determine if the mission violated national security law, which requires federal consent for joint activities.

She emphasized that while intelligence cooperation with the U.S. continues, there are “no joint operations on land or in the air” without explicit approval. The incident has raised questions about the extent of coordination between Mexican and American agencies in combating drug trafficking.