Two American embassy officials killed in a car crash in northern Mexico have been identified as Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) personnel. The incident occurred while they were returning from coordinating efforts following a drug enforcement operation. The accident took place in the state of Chihuahua, where two Mexican officials also died. Local authorities reported that the vehicle involved veered off the road and plunged into a canyon before exploding. Mexican President Sheinbaum stated that an investigation would be launched to determine whether the operation violated national security laws. Chihuahua's Attorney General, Joaquín Huaragui, said the U.S. personnel were not directly involved in Mexico’s raid on a remote, secret drug laboratory, though the facility may have been one of the largest discovered in the region. This incident comes amid increased pressure from the Trump administration on Mexico to crack down on drug cartels, with the CIA’s role in drug enforcement across Latin America—particularly in Mexico—having significantly expanded. According to informed sources, under Director John Ratcliffe, the agency has strengthened intelligence sharing and training cooperation with Mexican anti-drug authorities and is using unarmed drones to track cartel leaders and locate illegal drug production facilities. Although Trump has repeatedly threatened unilateral action against Mexican drug cartels, the CIA and other U.S. federal agencies continue to emphasize collaboration with Mexican counterparts in advancing drug enforcement operations.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863147808198666/
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