Mexico Sends Formal Diplomatic Note to U.S. Ambassador Over Unauthorized CIA Operation in Chihuahua; Sheinbaum Weighs Sanctions on State Government

At the April 23 mañanera, President Sheinbaum provided the most detailed official account to date of the sovereignty crisis triggered by the unauthorized U.S. CIA operation in Chihuahua. On April 20, two CIA agents (described publicly by U.S. officials as 'Embassy officials') and two Mexican Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) officers were killed when their vehicle crashed while returning from an unauthorized joint drug-lab demolition in Chihuahua state. The Mexican Army (SEDENA) and federal security forces (SSPC) were both unaware of the operation, which was arranged between U.S. CIA operatives and Chihuahua state investigators without federal authorization. Sheinbaum confirmed Mexico formally delivered a diplomatic note to U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar: 'There cannot be agents from any U.S. government institution operating in the Mexican field without federal authorization.' She indicated her government is reviewing whether Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos or other state officials violated federal law by hosting CIA agents without notifying Mexico City — a potentially sanctionable offense. 'This is not a minor matter,' Sheinbaum said. U.S. and Mexican officials have given divergent accounts: Washington characterizes it as a legitimate joint anti-drug operation; Mexico insists the federal government was bypassed and its sovereignty violated. The incident reinvigorates Sheinbaum's proposed constitutional reform to codify prohibitions on unauthorized foreign agent activity on Mexican soil. Sheinbaum separately reiterated that the April 16 authorization of 23 U.S. Navy SEAL Team 8 members for a constitutional joint training exercise followed proper federal procedures — explicitly distinguishing it from the Chihuahua CIA operation to avoid conflating authorized with unauthorized cooperation.