MEXICO CITY: The Mexican government said on Saturday that two US agents — reportedly CIA personnel — who died last weekend in connection with a drug raid had not been authorised to operate in the country.

The April 19 incident in the northern state of Chihuahua, which also left two Mexican officials dead, has created fresh diplomatic friction between the United States and Mexico, and heaped political pressure on President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Immigration records sho­w­­ed one of the two agents ent­­­­ered the country as a “visitor” while the other used a “diplomatic passport,” Mexico’s security min­­i­­­­stry said in a statement.

“Neither had formal accreditation to participate in operational activities within national territory,” the statement said.

Several US media outlets have reported that the two Americans, who have not been identified, worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. The US ambassador in Mexico has said they were US embassy employees.

The security ministry’s statement noted that Mexican law forbids foreign agents from participating in operations on Mexico’s soil. Discussions about the incident are being conducted with relevant local authorities and the US Embassy, it said.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026