Judge sets trial for ex-Chihuahua prosecutor in CIA death case

A state judge in Mexico has cleared the path for a treason trial against César Jáuregui, the former attorney general of Chihuahua. The decision came on Thursday, following his arrest earlier in the month on state charges related to a fatal joint operation with U.S. agents. Federal prosecutors have added the treason count, arguing that Jáuregui endangered national security by allowing foreign personnel to join a field operation without federal approval.

The case stems from an April 19 operation in the municipality of Morelos, located in the mountainous region of northern Chihuahua. The Chihuahua Attorney General's Office announced the dismantling of a drug lab that day, which Jáuregui described as one of the largest chemical drug production sites found in the country. No suspects were arrested because they fled the scene. On the return journey, a vehicle in the convoy left the road and crashed into a ravine, killing four people.

The two Mexican victims were Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes, the first commander of the state investigation agency, and officer Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes. The two American victims were identified by U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson as embassy personnel, though multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News they were CIA agents. The CIA declined to comment on their specific roles. At the time of the crash, Jáuregui characterized the Americans as instructor officers engaged in training tasks under binational anti-drug cooperation.

The incident sparked debate over foreign involvement in Mexican law enforcement, particularly under President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has emphasized national sovereignty. Sheinbaum stated that none of the U.S. agents had permission to operate in Mexico. Mexico's security ministry later revealed that one American entered the country as a visitor and the other held a diplomatic passport, but neither had formal accreditation for operational duties. Two other U.S. agents in a separate vehicle were expelled after the incident.

Jáuregui resigned following the deaths to clear the way for an inquiry. He was arrested on October 17 on state charges of illegal exercise of public office. Federal prosecutors subsequently filed the treason charge, which carries a potential sentence of five to 40 years. Defense attorney Héctor Villasana said prosecutors expressed a desire for an exemplary punishment at a closed hearing, citing the recent U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as a context. The U.S. State Department said it is monitoring the case but did not link it directly to the deaths of the CIA agents.

Legal experts have questioned the strength of the treason count. Samuel González, a former chief prosecutor for organized crime, described treason as a wartime crime and suggested that Jáuregui's failure to inform federal authorities or his allowance of armed foreign agents constituted a failure of obligation rather than treason. Carlos Pérez Ricart, a professor at the CIDE university, called the decision political, noting it sends a signal to Washington ahead of the 2027 midterm elections. He predicted the case will have a large public impact even if the charges are eventually dismissed.

The legal framework for these operations has shifted in recent years. Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador limited U.S. agency activities in Mexico, and Sheinbaum amended the Constitution to require express Mexican authorization for field operations. Pérez Ricart noted that such actions have historically occurred without federal knowledge, often leading to abuses due to a lack of clear rules. The federal judge is due to decide Saturday whether to formally allow the treason indictment to proceed to trial.

The case has become a focal point for discussions on sovereignty and the role of foreign intelligence on Mexican soil. While state charges move forward, the federal treason count remains a contentious addition. The trial will determine whether the standard for treason applies to peacetime law enforcement decisions involving foreign partners.