US officials killed in Mexico car crash following drug raid worked for the CIA, sources say
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- Two US embassy officials who died in a car accident in Mexico were CIA operatives collaborating with Mexican authorities on counternarcotics operations, alongside two Mexican agents from Chihuahua’s State Investigation Agency (AEI).
- The accident occurred while the group was returning from a drug raid in Morelos municipality, and the circumstances are still under investigation.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized the need for a full investigation to determine any legal violations and clarified that collaboration with US personnel must be federally authorized.
- The US Ambassador to Mexico expressed condolences, highlighting the risks faced by officials combating drug cartels on both sides of the border.
- Under CIA Director John Ratcliffe, the agency has expanded its operations in Mexico, including covert drone surveillance and reviewing lethal force policies against drug cartels as part of broader US counter-narcotics efforts.
