Former Mexican prosecutor charged with treason over US agent involvement in drug raid

On 21 October, Mexican federal prosecutors announced that former Chihuahua attorney general César Jáuregui Moreno had been charged with treason. The charge stems from his alleged permission for U.S. agents to join a drug raid in April, the BBC reported. The case was reported by the BBC.

The raid targeted a suspected methamphetamine lab in a remote area of Chihuahua, the BBC said. On 19 April, a convoy returning from the operation crashed into a ravine, killing two U.S. agents and two Mexican officers, the BBC reported. The crash was reported by the BBC.

Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said Jáuregui allowed foreign agents to conduct activities reserved for Mexican authorities and failed to share information with federal authorities, the BBC reported. She added that the operation lacked proper authorization, according to the BBC. The court hearing is scheduled for Saturday, the BBC said.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that foreign officials may operate on Mexican soil only with prior federal clearance, the BBC reported. She has declined U.S.-led counter‑narcotics operations in the country, according to the BBC. She said her government was unaware of U.S. agents’ presence in the raid, the BBC reported.

Jáuregui denied the allegations, the BBC reported. He said the U.S. personnel were instructors for a drone training session and had not participated in the raid, according to the BBC. He also ruled out the involvement of foreign personnel in his state's drug operations, the BBC said.

U.S. officials have identified the deceased agents as members of the Central Intelligence Agency, the BBC reported. Mexican officials say the agents were not permitted to operate in Chihuahua, the BBC said. The incident has raised questions about the legality of U.S. involvement in Mexican drug operations, the BBC reported.