Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said Monday she wants answers, calling it an issue of “sovereignty,” after two U.S. embassy personnel died in a car accident following a drug raid that she was unaware of in northern Mexico.
“We weren’t aware that there would be a direct operation between the state of Chihuahua and personnel from the U.S. Embassy to Mexico. So we’re asking for all the information from the government of Chihuahua and also from the United States and reviewing if there was a violation of national security law,” Sheinbaum said April 20 during her daily news conference. “We’re clear and we’ve come to expect that there’s collaboration and coordination but not joint operations on the ground.”
The Mexican president’s comments come after authorities in the state of Chihuahua announced April 19 that the U.S. officials died along with the director of the state’s investigative agency and an agency officer following an “operation to destroy clandestine laboratories” near the border with the state of Sinaloa.
In a later statement, authorities in Chihuahua said the Americans did not have a role in the operation and were only in the car incidentally.
According to the Chihuahua prosecutor’s office, Mexican authorities returning from the raid passed through a community where the Americans were giving drone flying lessons and the U.S. officials asked to ride in the government convoy to get to another location.
The crash happened at about 2 a.m. after their vehicle went over a ledge “into one of the ravines that exist in the area,” the prosecutor’s office said.
“We’re very respectful of the sovereignty of this country and of not having the intervention of agents of any type who are not nationals,” said César Jáuregui Moreno, Chihuahua’s top prosecutor, in a statement translated to English, adding that “there are collaborations in other programs” near the border.
It wasn’t immediately clear why U.S. Embassy personnel were giving drone operating instructions in the area. USA TODAY has reached out to the State Department and CIA for comment.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson seemed to indicate the Americans were involved in the drug raid in a statement.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of two U.S. Embassy personnel, the Director of Chihuahua’s State Investigation Agency (AEI), and an AEI officer in this accident. We honor their dedication and tireless efforts to confront one of the greatest challenges of our time,” Johnson said. “This tragedy is a solemn reminder of the risks faced by those Mexican and U.S. officials who are dedicated to protecting our communities. It strengthens our resolve to continue their mission and advance our shared commitment to security and justice, to protect our people.”
Johnson’s comments came before Mexican authorities said Monday the U.S. personnel were not involved. Their names have not been released.