Mexico Files Treason Case: Ex-Official Accused of CIA Coordination

César Jáuregui, the former attorney general of Chihuahua, now faces a treason indictment after federal prosecutors alleged he allowed U.S. agents to join a drug lab raid without notifying the Mexican federal government. A federal judge will decide Saturday whether the case proceeds to trial. The charge carries a potential prison sentence of 5 to 40 years, though legal experts describe the legal standard for treason as difficult to meet.

The dispute centers on an operation conducted on April 19 in the municipality of Morelos. State authorities dismantled a chemical drug production site they described as one of the largest in the country. No arrests were made during the raid as suspects fled the scene. During the return trip, a vehicle in the convoy left the road and fell into a ravine. Four people died in the crash: two Mexican state officials and two Americans.

The Mexican victims were identified as Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes, the first commander of the state investigation agency, and officer Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes. Jáuregui initially described the deceased Americans as instructor officers engaged in binational anti-drug training. He resigned following the deaths to facilitate an inquiry. On October 17, he was arrested on state charges of illegal exercise of public office. A state judge ruled Thursday that those charges can go to trial.

Federal prosecutors argue Jáuregui endangered national security by approving the participation of U.S. agents in a field operation, a decision reserved for the federal government. Defense attorney Héctor Villasana stated that prosecutors sought an exemplary punishment during a closed hearing. He said they aimed to prevent a situation similar to the U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. State Department said it is monitoring the case but did not link it directly to the deaths of the two agents.

Accounts of the Americans' roles have varied among officials. U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson referred to them as embassy personnel, while multiple sources familiar with the matter identified them as CIA agents. The CIA declined to comment. Mexico's security ministry reported that one man entered as a visitor and the other held a diplomatic passport. Neither had formal accreditation for operational activities. Two other U.S. agents in a separate vehicle were expelled, and President Claudia Sheinbaum stated none had permission to operate in Mexico.

Legal experts question the validity of the treason charge. Samuel González, a former chief prosecutor for organized crime, noted that Jáuregui may have failed to inform federal authorities or allowed foreign agents to carry weapons. He argued this does not amount to treason, which he described as a wartime crime. Carlos Pérez Ricart of CIDE university called the case a political decision ahead of the 2027 midterm elections. He warned it sends a negative signal to Washington.

U.S. agencies have a long history of operating in Mexico. Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador limited these activities. Sheinbaum amended the Constitution to bar field operations without express Mexican authorization. Pérez Ricart noted that such actions often occur without federal knowledge, a practice that can lead to abuses in the absence of clear rules.