Mexico’s Federal Prosecutor Charges Former Chihuahua Attorney General With Treason Over CIA Role in Drug Lab Raid

Mexico City — Mexican federal prosecutors have charged César Jáuregui Moreno, the former attorney general of Chihuahua, with treason over the participation of two U.S. intelligence agents in a raid on a clandestine drug laboratory in the Sierra Tarahumara last April. Jáuregui was arrested on Saturday.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (FGR) obtained an arrest warrant against the former official for conduct that, according to Attorney General Ernestina Godoy, may constitute the crime of treason against the nation in matters of national security.

The accusation centers on an operation carried out between April 17 and 19 in the community of El Pinal, in the municipality of Morelos, Chihuahua, where authorities located and dismantled a clandestine laboratory. State prosecutors took part in the raid, along with two foreign nationals identified as members of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

The case came to light after the convoy returning from the area was involved in a highway crash that killed the two American agents and two members of the Chihuahua State Prosecutor’s Office. The presence of the U.S. citizens and the circumstances of their involvement later triggered an inquiry into the conduct of state authorities.

Federal prosecutors question foreign agents’ role

Godoy said the federal investigation involved more than 100 investigative steps and that evidence supports the conclusion that Jáuregui allowed foreign nationals to operate on Mexican territory without authorization and to take part in activities reserved exclusively for federal authorities.

The attorney general argued that state governments have no authority to transfer public powers to foreign authorities and that the U.S. agents’ role in the operation had no legal basis.

According to the FGR, the former prosecutor’s conduct violated constitutional provisions and the National Security Law relating to national sovereignty, the federal pact and the separation of powers.

Federal prosecutors also question why the operation went ahead before a formal investigation file had been opened, and why state authorities reported it to federal agencies only belatedly.

An investigation that began in April

The case dates back to the first months of 2026, when Chihuahua authorities were working to locate a clandestine laboratory in the Sierra Tarahumara. Two U.S. citizens later joined the deployment, a role that was not initially disclosed publicly.

On April 24, the Chihuahua Prosecutor’s Office created a special unit to investigate the circumstances of the operation and, weeks later, acknowledged the likely involvement of foreign nationals. Investigators focused on the chain of command, the authorization for the operation and compliance with protocols.

Jáuregui resigned as Chihuahua’s attorney general on April 27, days after the raid and the crash that killed the four members of the convoy. His departure came amid the controversy over the participation of U.S. agents.

The state investigation also produced an arrest warrant against Jáuregui for the crimes of unlawful exercise of public office and collusion, related to how the operation was organized and carried out.

Saturday’s arrest therefore opened two legal fronts against the former prosecutor. While the Chihuahua Prosecutor’s Office investigates possible omissions in the chain of command and breaches of protocol, the FGR maintains that authorizing the participation of foreigners may have amounted to an attack on national sovereignty.

The case also has a political dimension. Jáuregui had differences with Chihuahua Governor María Eugenia Campos and had been mentioned in state political circles ahead of the 2027 elections. After his arrest, supporters of the opposition PAN party demonstrated to demand his release and alleged that the proceedings could be politically motivated.

The accusations stem from investigations that remain open and will have to be resolved by judicial authorities during the criminal proceedings.