The United States Government Responds to Mexico’s Diplomatic Note Regarding CIA Agents, but the Information Is Classified
The United States government has responded to Mexico’s diplomatic note concerning the involvement of two Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents during an operation in Chihuahua; however, the information has been classified.
El Financiero requested, through a transparency request, that Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclose the response from Donald Trump’s administration, as Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco announced in late April that a diplomatic note had been sent regarding the case of the agents, who died days earlier in an alleged car accident after participating in the dismantling of a drug laboratory.
The request was forwarded to the Undersecretariat for North America; however, its response was to classify the information for five years—that is, until the current administration has ended.
Why Was the Information Classified? This Is the Justification
The authorities argued that releasing the document could affect the bilateral relationship.
“The response issued by the Government of the United States cannot be shared or disclosed because its publication could undermine the international relations of the Mexican State with the United States and other countries, especially considering that this information was provided to this authority under strict confidentiality criteria.”
Although it did not explicitly mention it, the government also cited the review of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).
“This document contains information that could affect the conduct of the bilateral relationship, as well as references to bilateral agreements currently under negotiation or pending implementation, the disclosure of which could undermine the conduct of the Mexican State’s international relations.”
The government also recalled that diplomatic notes are an official means of communication between nations, and revealing their contents could be interpreted as a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has only stated that the United States had been cooperating by providing information regarding the case.
When the accident became public, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said the individuals were employees of the U.S. Embassy. It was later revealed that they were CIA agents.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) opened an investigation into the case, as foreign authorities are not permitted to participate in security operations within Mexico without authorization from the Executive Branch.
As part of the investigation, the Governor of Chihuahua has been summoned to testify.
Source: elfinanciero
