Two US officials who died in a vehicle crash after returning from an anti-drug operation in northern Mexico over the weekend were working for the CIA, according to a US official and two other people familiar with the matter.
Two Mexican investigators were also killed in the crash. Mexican authorities said the convoy had been returning after a mission targeting drug laboratories run by criminal groups. However, differing accounts from US and Mexican officials have raised questions over the exact nature of the operation.
The CIA link was confirmed Tuesday by sources familiar with the incident, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of intelligence matters. The Washington Post had earlier reported that the officials were CIA personnel.
The incident comes amid confusion and conflicting statements from both governments about US involvement in the raid in Chihuahua state, where drug labs were reportedly destroyed.
The lack of clarity has renewed debate over how deeply the United States is involved in security operations inside Mexico, especially as pressure grows from US President Donald Trump’s administration for stronger action against drug cartels.
Trump has taken a tougher stance on Latin America, including military operations in the region and repeated offers of direct US action against Mexican cartels, which Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected as unnecessary.
US Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson initially described the deceased officials as embassy personnel. The US Embassy later said they were supporting efforts by Chihuahua state authorities but did not confirm their identities or agency ties.
Mexican officials first suggested cooperation with US forces in the operation but later softened their statements after the matter drew political attention in Mexico.
President Sheinbaum said she was not aware of any formal joint operation involving US agencies and Mexican forces, although she acknowledged that some level of coordination had taken place between local and US authorities.
The controversy highlights the sensitive nature of US intelligence activity in Mexico, where cooperation against drug cartels often clashes with concerns over national sovereignty.
Security analysts say covert US operations in Mexico have become more common in recent years, particularly under the Trump administration’s intensified anti-drug strategy, though both governments often avoid publicly acknowledging them.