Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that authorities in Chihuahua committed a “mistake” by allowing U.S. agents into the state for anti-drug cooperation without prior coordination with the federal government.
The president made this statement following Sunday’s operation to dismantle chemical drug labs, in which two U.S. agents died in a car accident, along with two Mexican state officials, as they returned from the operation.
Sheinbaum said that an investigation is still underway to determine whether the Chihuahua state government or the Attorney General’s Office requested the collaboration of the U.S. agents. The Attorney General’s Office stated that the agents were “instructors from the U.S. Embassy who were conducting training.” However, two sources told CNN that the agents worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and were collaborating with Mexican officials on anti-drug operations in Mexico.
“What happened here was a failure of state authority, that’s the bottom line. The Chihuahua state government or the Chihuahua state Attorney General’s Office—which is currently under review—requested collaboration from a U.S. agency to carry out activities and operations,” the president commented at her morning press conference.
The president emphasized that “the fault lies with them for requesting this collaboration,” but also pointed out that the U.S. government, through Ambassador Ronald Johnson, should have informed federal authorities about what was happening.
“But the main fault lies with the state government that requested this collaboration. And that is against the Constitution and the National Security Law… The law clearly defines the type of collaboration and how it should be carried out,” Sheinbaum added.
Article 69 of Mexico’s National Security Law states that the temporary entry of foreign agents into Mexican territory may be permitted “for the purpose of information exchange, within the framework of bilateral cooperation agreements and programs signed by the Mexican State regarding security and that contribute to preserving National Security.” Article 71 of the same law states that foreign agents “may only carry out liaison activities for the exchange of information with Mexican authorities” and “may not exercise powers reserved to Mexican authorities nor may they apply or enforce foreign laws within national territory.”
Meanwhile, Article 40 of the Constitution specifies that Mexico will not permit foreign interference “in any investigation or prosecution without the express authorization and collaboration of the Mexican State.” This provision was added to the Constitution in April 2025.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during her morning press conference on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the National Palace in Mexico City.
The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, speaks during her morning press conference this Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the National Palace in Mexico City. On Tuesday, Sheinbaum had already stated that U.S. agents “were indeed working jointly” with state authorities. However, the Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on Monday that the U.S. officials did not participate in anti-drug operations and were in the state for “other purposes, such as drone operation training.”
The mayor reiterated this Thursday that both the governor of Chihuahua, María Eugenia Campos, and the state attorney general, César Jáuregui, have already been summoned to appear before the Senate to “explain under what conditions this collaboration took place, but there is a failure on the part of the government, the attorney general, or the secretary (of security) of the state of Chihuahua, because they are not complying with the legal framework or the Constitution regarding security cooperation, particularly with U.S. agencies.”
Sheinbaum indicated that she personally called Campos to discuss the matter, but he was not in his office. She stated that the governor will meet with the federal Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, this Thursday to discuss this matter.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum had already stated that U.S. agents “were indeed working jointly” with state authorities. However, the Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on Monday that the U.S. officials did not participate in anti-drug operations and were in the state for “other purposes, such as drone operation training.”
The mayor reiterated this Thursday that both the governor of Chihuahua, María Eugenia Campos, and the state attorney general, César Jáuregui, have already been summoned to appear before the Senate to “explain under what conditions this collaboration took place, but there is a failure on the part of the government, the attorney general, or the secretary (of security) of the state of Chihuahua, because they are not complying with the legal framework or the Constitution regarding security cooperation, particularly with U.S. agencies.”
Sheinbaum indicated that she personally called Campos to discuss the matter, but he was not in his office. She stated that the governor will meet with the federal Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, this Thursday to discuss the matter.
Regarding the recent White House statement that Sheinbaum lacks “a little compassion” for the deaths of the two U.S. agents, the governor asserted that President Donald Trump “doesn’t have enough information.” She added that the first thing she did on Monday, the day after the accident, was to express her condolences for the deaths of the U.S. officials.
“First and foremost is the human aspect and solidarity, the support for their families, and the sympathy and condolences to the people who died, to the Mexicans and the Americans… That human aspect is paramount, and that must always be done; it is a moral and ethical obligation to have consideration for the victims, in this case, the victims of an accident. And only after that comes the part that has to do with complying with the law,” Sheinbaum said.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that “the president (Trump) would agree that a little compassion from Claudia Sheinbaum would be worth the two American lives lost, considering everything the United States is currently doing under this president to stop the scourge of drug trafficking through Mexico into the United States.”
Leavitt added that the U.S. has seen “some cooperation” on security matters from Sheinbaum, but that Trump “always wants to see more cooperation.”
Sheinbaum’s predecessor, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024), promoted reforms to limit the activities of these officials in the country. Similarly, Sheinbaum has stated on several occasions that her government is open to cooperating with others on security matters, but rejects the possibility of U.S. or other foreign forces conducting operations on Mexican soil. She says this would violate national sovereignty.
Tensions over the presence of U.S. officials in Chihuahua come amid growing pressure from the Trump administration for Mexico to take more action against drug cartels. Trump has even insisted that the United States be allowed to conduct operations against drug traffickers in Mexico, a possibility that Sheinbaum has repeatedly rejected.
Source: cnnespanol
