Mexico and CIA Deny Reports of US Assassination Campaign Against Cartels

The Mexican government and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have firmly rejected a CNN report alleging that US intelligence agents directly participated in targeted assassinations of drug cartel members in Mexico. The controversy arose after CNN cited unnamed sources claiming CIA operatives were involved in deadly operations, including a March car explosion that killed alleged Sinaloa Cartel member Francisco Beltran. CIA spokesperson Liz Lyons dismissed the report as false and dangerous, while Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch stated that foreign agencies do not conduct unilateral lethal operations on Mexican soil. He emphasized that bilateral cooperation respects national sovereignty and mutual trust. This dispute occurs amidst heightened tensions under President Donald Trump’s aggressive anti-drug campaign, which has designated several Latin American gangs as terrorist organizations. Recent friction includes President Claudia Sheinbaum’s threat to sanction local authorities for allowing unauthorized CIA participation in raids. The incident highlights ongoing diplomatic strains regarding security cooperation and sovereignty between the two nations, particularly concerning the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.