The death in Mexico of two CIA officers, the United States’ intelligence agency, has intensified the exchange of claims between both Governments. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has demanded an explanation from Washington as to why US agents were in her country’s territory as part of an anti-narcotics operation — something prohibited by Mexico’s Constitution and laws. Far from providing that explanation, the White House seeks to turn the tables and return the claim to Sheinbaum, whom it has criticized for her alleged indifference to the death of the CIA agents. “President Trump would agree that a little compassion from Claudia Sheinbaum would be valuable for the two American lives lost, considering all that the United States is doing under this Administration to stop the scourge of drug trafficking through Mexico into the US,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in an interview with Fox News.
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The presence of US officials in Mexico is shrouded in doubt and shadows, touching one of the most sensitive nerves for the Latin American country, which a couple of years ago approved legal changes to prohibit covert operations by foreign agents on its territory. The reform had a clear target, the United States, prone to getting involved in the internal affairs of nations in the region, backed in recent years by the discourse of combating drug trafficking. Precisely, security has been one of the arguments supporting Leavitt’s claim. “We have seen some cooperation from President Sheinbaum, but President Trump always wants to see more cooperation, because what we are doing not only benefits the people of the US, but also her own people,” she indicated.
The spokeswoman insisted that Washington’s goal is to “dismantle cartels and end the scourge of human and drug trafficking that has flowed into the US for a long time and has killed many Americans.” Information surrounding the work and death of the CIA officers has emerged in dribs and drabs, largely due to the opacity of the Chihuahua State Government, where the events occurred. According to one of the versions provided by the local Government, as they have varied, the Americans died along with two other Chihuahua officials in a traffic accident in a mountainous area, after an operation to destroy narcotics laboratories.
The State of Chihuahua, governed by María Eugenia Campos (PAN), indicated that the deceased Americans were part of the diplomatic corps of the Embassy, and assured that, although they were traveling in the same car as the Chihuahua officials, they did not participate in the anti-drug operation, but simply requested a transfer. This version has proven implausible for the Sheinbaum Government, especially since the US press has confirmed that they were CIA agents.
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Chihuahua later explained that the Americans were providing training on drone use. Governor Campos has assured that elements of the Army participated in the laboratory dismantling operation. Sheinbaum has said that the soldiers did not know that US agents were present in that operation. The president recalled that the federal Government must authorize collaboration activities with foreign authorities, although she clarified that their presence in the field in security tasks is strictly prohibited.
Sheinbaum has reported that she instructed the Ministry of Interior to contact Campos to clarify the mess. Meanwhile, the Senate, dominated by the ruling party, seeks to compel the governor of Chihuahua to appear before the chamber to give an explanation. The initiative has fueled the debate over whether the Upper House has the power to call a state governor to account, or if the latter, in any case, should only appear before the Congress of their entity.
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