The CIA has been running a secret assassination campaign inside Mexico targeting cartel members, and Mexico’s president says she was never told

The CIA has been running a secret assassination campaign inside Mexico, targeting cartel members through covert operations. At the center of this campaign is the CIA’s Ground Branch, an elite unit responsible for conducting counter-cartel missions. Since last year, CIA operatives inside Mexico have directly taken part in deadly attacks on several mid-level cartel members, according to sources.

According to CNN, these operations have been described as “brazen” even by Mexican standards. The CIA’s operatives have been working closely with select regional, state, and local Mexican officials to take down entire cartel networks. The agency has used a range of tactics, from providing intelligence and support to taking part in direct action missions.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly spoken out against the CIA’s involvement, saying she was not told about the agency’s role in a recent operation in Chihuahua. That operation resulted in the deaths of two US embassy officials who were also CIA operatives. Sheinbaum’s comments have sparked a serious debate about the CIA’s role in Mexico’s internal affairs.

Mexico’s rejection of foreign covert operations puts the US-Mexico relationship under serious strain

“The Government of Mexico categorically rejects any version that seeks to normalize, justify, or suggest the existence of lethal, covert, or unilateral operations by foreign agencies on national territory,” Sheinbaum said in a statement.

However, sources close to the CIA say the agency’s involvement in Mexico is needed to fight the growing threat from transnational cartels, which have been accused of working directly with some Mexican officials.

“The United States and Mexico continue to take decisive bilateral action to disrupt and dismantle the transnational cartels that threaten communities on both sides of the border,” a State Department spokesperson said. Mexico has also been dealing with a rise in violent incidents targeting foreign visitors, further putting its public safety record under the spotlight.

There are also concerns about the risk of cartel retaliation spilling across the border. “There is definitely concern this could easily spill over into the US,” a former CIA official said. Cartel members frequently cross the US-Mexico border, making the threat a real and present concern for American authorities.

The CIA’s history in Mexico goes back to at least 2012, when a US Embassy armored vehicle carrying two CIA operatives and their Mexican marine driver was ambushed. Twelve Mexican federal police officers were later convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to decades in prison. 

Since then, the CIA has continued to work with select Mexican officials to fight the cartel threat. Beyond security operations, tourists experiencing safety issues at Mexican resorts have also added to growing concerns about conditions in the country.

One major concern is the risk of the CIA’s operations being compromised by corruption within the Mexican government. Some of the Mexican officials the agency has worked with have themselves been accused of having ties to cartel members, which puts the entire operation on uncertain ground and creates serious risks for both sides.