Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has launched an investigation into the involvement of two U.S. officials in a counter-narcotics operation in the northern state of Chihuahua. The two Americans died alongside two Mexican officials when their vehicle crashed while returning from an operation to destroy illegal drug labs. President Sheinbaum stated that neither she nor senior federal security officials were informed of any joint U.S.-Mexican operations, emphasizing that foreign officials require federal clearance to operate on Mexican soil.
Chihuahua state officials reported that the U.S. embassy personnel, described as "instructor officers" engaged in "training work," died when their car skidded off a road and exploded in a ravine. The incident occurred approximately eight to nine hours away from the drug lab operation site. President Sheinbaum is seeking information from both the U.S. embassy and Chihuahua authorities to determine if national security laws were breached, as joint operations require prior federal approval. While Mexico collaborates with the U.S. on intelligence sharing, Sheinbaum reiterated that no joint operations are conducted on land or in the air.