Sheinbaum dismisses CIA cartel claims as ‘fiction’ amid sovereignty tensions

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly rejected reports from CNN and The New York Times alleging that Central Intelligence Agency operatives participated in deadly operations against drug cartels on Mexican territory. Describing the allegations as a "lie" and "fiction," Sheinbaum asserted that US law enforcement activities require federal permission and that unilateral covert actions violate Mexico’s sovereignty. The CIA has also denied the claims, with spokesperson Liz Lyons dismissing them as "false and salacious reporting" and a public relations campaign for cartels.

Sheinbaum’s denial occurred during a morning news conference on Wednesday, marking the highest-level rejection from the Mexican government since the allegations were first made on Tuesday. She questioned the credibility of the reports, noting that the CIA itself had issued a denial. "Imagine how big the lie is if the CIA itself needs to come out and dismiss" the story, Sheinbaum told reporters, while also characterising the New York Times account as "fiction the size of the universe."

The CNN report specifically pointed to a March 2026 explosion that killed Francisco Beltran, a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, and his driver, as evidence of direct CIA participation. Anonymous sources cited by the outlet claimed an "expanded and previously unreported" CIA campaign including targeted assassinations. Mexico’s security laws require that foreign operatives receive permission from the federal government to operate on the country’s soil, a condition the Mexican government insists was not met in the alleged incidents.

CIA spokesperson Liz Lyons characterised the reports as a "PR campaign for the cartels" that puts American lives at risk. Meanwhile, Mexico’s Security Secretary, Omar Harfuch, echoed the government’s rejection of unilateral covert operations. Harfuch acknowledged that cooperation between the two governments "does exist" but stated that the government categorically rejects any narrative suggesting the existence of lethal, covert, or unilateral operations by foreign agencies within national territory.

Tensions have heightened following the deaths of two US officials in a car accident in April while returning from a reported raid on a drug facility. Sheinbaum’s government has denied knowledge of any CIA involvement in drug-busting operations and called for an investigation into the incident. State officials in Chihuahua have disputed the narrative that the two US officials were involved in a raid, arguing they were merely receiving a lift to the airport after overseeing drone instruction.

Questions about the possibility of covert US operations on Mexican soil have increased since President Donald Trump took office for a second term in 2025. Trump has sought to exert influence over Mexico’s policies in areas such as crime, border enforcement and drug trafficking, using tariffs on imported goods as leverage. He has also threatened to take unilateral action against Mexico’s criminal networks, despite Sheinbaum’s insistence that such a move would violate the country’s sovereignty.

While Mexico and the US have long collaborated on anti-drug efforts in the form of intelligence sharing and security cooperation, direct US involvement has been seen as a red line in the country with a long history of US intervention. CNN has stated it stands by its reporting, which cited anonymous sources claiming an "expanded and previously unreported" CIA campaign including targeted assassinations.