Mexican federal prosecutors have formally accused former Chihuahua attorney general César Jáuregui Moreno of treason for permitting U.S. personnel to conduct a raid on a suspected methamphetamine laboratory in April without official authorization.

Jáuregui held the position of state attorney general from 2023 until early 2024. His arrest over the weekend follows revelations that two U.S. agents, believed to be CIA officers, died alongside two Mexican law enforcement officials in a vehicle crash during the operation. Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos alleges that Jáuregui allowed foreign agents to perform duties reserved for Mexican authorities and failed to disclose their involvement.

The former prosecutor, a member of the opposition National Action Party (PAN), denies the accusations. During a recent court hearing on related state charges, he stated he did not instruct or approve the participation of U.S. agents. A federal judge will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to move forward with the treason case.

The incident occurred on 19 April when a convoy returning from a law enforcement operation in a remote, mountainous region of Chihuahua veered off the road and fell into a ravine. In addition to the two U.S. agents, two members of the Chihuahua State Investigation Agency were killed. At the time, Jáuregui described the Americans as "instructor officers" from the U.S. embassy engaged in routine training activities as part of standard cooperation between the two countries.

U.S. media have reported that the deceased agents were part of an expanded initiative to support regional drug trafficking efforts. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has maintained that foreign officials may only operate on Mexican soil with prior government approval, emphasizing national sovereignty. She has previously declined U.S. proposals for direct counter-narcotics operations within Mexico, even as she faces pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to strengthen cooperation on drug enforcement.

The case highlights ongoing tensions between Mexico’s insistence on operational sovereignty and U.S. expectations for expanded law enforcement collaboration in drug interdiction efforts.