Ex-Chihuahua AG faces treason trial over CIA deaths

César Jáuregui, the former attorney general of Chihuahua, faces a federal treason charge that could keep him behind bars for up to 40 years. A federal judge is scheduled to rule on Saturday whether the indictment can proceed to trial. This legal move follows his arrest on Oct. 17 for illegal exercise of public office, a state-level charge that a judge already cleared for trial on Thursday.

The case centers on a joint drug raid conducted in April. On April 19, state officials announced they had dismantled a major drug lab in the municipality of Morelos. During the return trip, a vehicle carrying four officials went off the road and fell into a ravine. The crash killed two Mexican state officials, Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes and Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes, and two Americans. No suspects were arrested because they fled the scene.

Federal prosecutors argue that Jáuregui endangered national security by allowing U.S. agents to participate in a field operation. Under Mexican law, this decision is reserved for the federal government. The state attorney general had described the Americans as instructor officers engaged in binational anti-drug cooperation. He later resigned, stating he wanted to allow an independent inquiry into the incident.

The identity of the two Americans has remained a point of contention. U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson initially referred to them as embassy personnel. However, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that they were CIA agents. The CIA has not commented on the case. Mexico's security ministry noted that one American entered the country as a visitor and the other held a diplomatic passport. Neither had formal accreditation for operational duties. President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that no U.S. agent had permission to operate on Mexican soil.

Defense attorney Héctor Villasana claims the prosecution seeks an exemplary punishment. He said prosecutors told a closed hearing they want to prevent a situation similar to the U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. State Department confirmed it is monitoring the case but did not link it directly to the deaths of the two intelligence officers.

Legal experts remain skeptical of the treason charge. Samuel González, a former chief prosecutor for organized crime, argued that while Jáuregui may have failed to inform federal authorities, this mistake does not meet the legal definition of treason. González described the charge as a wartime crime. Carlos Pérez Ricart, a professor at CIDE university, called the move political. He predicted the case will have a major public impact even if it is eventually dismissed. Pérez Ricart warned the action sends a negative signal to Washington ahead of the 2027 midterm elections.

The incident has intensified debate over foreign involvement in Mexican law enforcement. Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador limited U.S. agency activities in the country. President Sheinbaum has since amended the Constitution to require express Mexican authorization for field operations. Pérez Ricart noted that such operations often occur without federal knowledge. He warned that without clear rules, these actions can lead to abuses.