Mexico withholds US diplomatic note on CIA agents incident in Chihuahua

The United States sent a diplomatic note to Mexico after two CIA agents died in a presumed car accident while assisting a drug‑lab dismantling operation in the Chihuahua mountains in April 2026. Mexico’s Foreign Ministry announced that the note will be classified for five years, arguing that disclosure could harm bilateral relations and ongoing trade negotiations under the US‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement.

Mexican authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the foreign agents’ involvement, citing the need for executive authorization for any external security activity. The case has drawn attention from both governments, with the U.S. embassy confirming the agents were embassy staff before it was revealed they were CIA operatives, and Mexican officials citing diplomatic confidentiality under the Vienna Convention.