La labor que realizaban dos agentes de la CIA muertos en un accidente al regresar supuestamente de un operativo antidrogas en el estado mexicano de Chihuahua no solo sigue provocando contradicciones y dudas sobre quién autorizó su actividad, sino que ha empezado a generar suspicacias en la administración de Donald Trump.

El suceso avivó las especulaciones sobre el alcance de las acciones estadounidenses en suelo mexicano pese a la reiterada defensa de la soberanía hecha por la presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum y su negativa a aceptar las ofertas de Trump de intervenir contra los carteles narco.

Sheinbaum dijo este miércoles en su conferencia de prensa que analiza posibles sanciones contra el gobierno de Chihuahua porque cualquier colaboración de miembros de agencias de Estados Unidos en México debe ser aprobada por el gobierno federal, cosa que no ocurrió.

Horas después, la portavoz de la Casa Blanca, Karoline Leavitt, pidió a la mandataria en declaraciones a Fox News “un poco más de empatía” ante la muerte de dos estadounidenses “teniendo en cuenta todo lo que Estados Unidos está haciendo con este presidente para detener el flagelo del tráfico de drogas a través de México».

Los dos agentes murieron el domingo junto a dos miembros de la fiscalía estatal cuando su camioneta derrapó y cayó por un barranco en las escarpadas montañas que unen Chihuahua —fronteriza con Texas—y Sinaloa, donde se desmanteló un enorme laboratorio de drogas sintéticas.

Su pertenencia a la agencia central de inteligencia de Estados Unidos (CIA) fue confirmada el martes a The Associated Press por un funcionario estadounidense y otras dos personas familiarizadas con el asunto que hablaron bajo condición de anonimato para poder abordar cuestiones de inteligencia.

“No se informó de la participación de estas personas», afirmó Sheinbaum sin mencionar expresamente a la CIA. “No puede haber agentes de alguna institución del gobierno de Estados Unidos operando en campo… Esto no es parte del protocolo de seguridad que hemos acordado, del entendimiento que tenemos con ellos”.

Desde hace décadas, la presencia en México de la CIA —con un legado turbio en América Latina ligado a golpes de Estado y dictaduras militares— al igual que la de la DEA, la agencia antidrogas, y de otros agentes estadounidenses ha estado marcada por los claroscuros y controversias, como por ejemplo sobre la portación de armas. Sus actividades suelen salir a la luz pública cuando hay problemas, como ocurrió en 2012 cuando una camioneta de la embajada fue baleada en las afueras de Ciudad de México dejando a dos agentes de la CIA heridos.

Durante la administración de Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024), sus movimientos fueron restringidos con una ley que exige a los agentes informar previamente al gobierno mexicano de sus acciones, que sigue vigente. Sheinbaum ha incrementado la cooperación con Washington y endurecido su estrategia de seguridad.

Hasta las declaraciones de Leavitt, la administración Trump no había hecho comentarios públicos sobre los sucesos en Chihuahua y la CIA declinó el miércoles comentar sobre el tema. Sin embargo, las autoridades mexicanas han abundado en contradicciones.

César Jaúregui, fiscal de Chihuahua, dijo el domingo que el ejército mexicano y su fiscalía habían participado en el desmantelamiento del mayor laboratorio de drogas sintéticas ubicado hasta el momento y que los “oficiales instructores” de la embajada murieron en un accidente al regresar de esa acción. Al día siguiente se retractó y dijo que los funcionarios de la embajada se unieron al grupo después del operativo.

Según la presidenta, la Secretaría de Defensa no sabía que algunos de los participantes en la acción «no eran ciudadanos mexicanos y que no eran parte de las agencias de seguridad del estado de Chihuahua”.

Por eso, envió una carta “de extrañamiento” por lo sucedido al embajador estadounidense para que dé toda la información disponible y prevé hablar en breve con la gobernadora de Chihuahua, la opositora María Eugenia ‘Maru’ Campos. “Es muy importante que no se deje pasar algo así”, agregó Sheinbaum.

Horas más tarde, el secretario de Seguridad, Omar García Harfuch, fue tajante al asegurar que “nunca” ha habido agentes extranjeros participando físicamente en un operativo federal. «No nos lo permite la ley”.

También dijo que el ejército recibió una solicitud “específicamente de acompañamiento” para dar seguridad a las fuerzas de Chihuahua. “Es muy distinto ir en apoyo de una operación a ser parte de, como tal, de la planeación”, agregó.

Pero según explicó el fiscal de Chihuahua el domingo, la investigación que llevó a desmantelar el enorme laboratorio había comenzado meses atrás y se había realizado en colaboración con la Secretaría de Defensa. “Cuando ya tuvimos la certeza mediante drones de la ubicación del lugar, acudimos en conjunto a realizar el aseguramiento de las instalaciones”.

El Senado pidió a la gobernadora que acuda la semana que viene a explicar lo ocurrido.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran will no longer execute eight women linked to anti-regime protests after he urged their release a day earlier.

«Very good news! I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed,» Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 

Four of the women will reportedly be released immediately, while the remaining four will serve one-month prison sentences. 

The president thanked Iran for halting the executions, saying, «I very much appreciate that Iran, and its leaders, respected my request.»

FREED IRANIAN PRISONER SAYS ‘IN TRUMP, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAS MET ITS MATCH’

Trump previously said on social media Tuesday that releasing the women could work in Iran’s favor during negotiations scheduled later that day, when he ultimately announced an extension of a two-week ceasefire.

«To the Iranian leaders, who will soon be in negotiations with my representatives: I would greatly appreciate the release of these women,» Trump said Tuesday, responding to an activist’s post on X that included photos of eight unidentified women.

«I am sure that they will respect the fact that you did so. Please do them no harm! Would be a great start to our negotiations!!!»

Iran’s judiciary, however, quickly responded to Trump’s claims, denying that the women ever faced execution, according to Middle East-focused media outlet New Arab. 

«Trump was misled once again by fake news,» the judiciary’s official Mizan Online website said. «The women who were claimed to be on the verge of execution, some of them have been released, while others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment.»

IRAN TO EXECUTE FIRST FEMALE PROTESTER TIED TO ANTI-REGIME UNREST

Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC/AP)

According to human rights groups, Iran reportedly last week scheduled the execution of a female protester linked to the January uprising, marking Tehran’s first publicly reported death penalty case involving a woman. 

She was identified as Bita Hemmati and is among the eight women Trump said will no longer face capital punishment. 

Hemmati was originally sentenced in a collective case alongside her husband and neighbors, the National Council of Resistance of Iran said. 

On Jan. 8 and Jan. 9, the group allegedly threw objects such as concrete blocks and incendiary materials from rooftops, injured security forces and engaged in anti-regime «propaganda» in an effort to undermine security, according to federal authorities. 

Demonstrators ignite a fire in the middle of the street during an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC/AP)

One Iranian journalist reported the identities of the other women in a post on X, claiming the defendants are as young as 16 years old.

One victim in particular, identified as Mahboubeh Shabani, 33, was accused of providing assistance to demonstrators injured during January’s uprising, according to the Norway-based Hengaw rights group.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The women’s rulings are among the latest in a series of punishments issued amid a broader government crackdown on dissent.

Rights groups say thousands of protesters may have been killed since demonstrations erupted earlier this year. 

FIRST ON FOX: A Mexican national who illegally voted in U.S. elections and falsely claimed to be a citizen has been convicted and could face removal under federal immigration law.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Jose Ceballos-Armendariz, a lawful permanent resident who has held a green card since 1990, pleaded guilty to three counts of Disorderly Election Conduct following prosecution by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

Officials said Ceballos-Armendariz unlawfully voted multiple times and falsely claimed U.S. citizenship on voter registration forms, including a 1999 application in which he affirmed he was a citizen of the United States.

He later applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2025. DHS said he falsely stated on that application that he had never claimed to be a U.S. citizen.

CONSERVATIVE LEGAL GROUP PRESSES AGENCY TO ACT ON TRUMP’S VOTER CITIZENSHIP MANDATE DESPITE COURT INJUNCTIONS

Under federal immigration law, false claims to U.S. citizenship can make a noncitizen removable, though DHS has not detailed any potential action in this case.

«This alien has now been convicted of illegally voting in American elections, voting in American elections,» DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis said. «The SAVE program is a critical tool for state and local governments to safeguard the integrity of elections across the country.»

Records provided by DHS and reviewed by Fox News Digital show Ceballos-Armendariz checked «yes» when asked if he was a U.S. citizen on a Kansas voter registration form and signed to affirm the information was true.

‘ESSENTIAL TO OUR NATION’S SOVEREIGNTY’: NONCITIZEN VOTER CRACKDOWN LED BY GOP AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital show Jose Ceballos-Armendariz checked that he was a U.S. citizen on a Kansas voter registration form, which authorities say was false. (Department of Homeland Security)

On his naturalization application, however, he marked «no» when asked whether he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen, despite his prior voter registration.

DHS said Ceballos-Armendariz also has a prior criminal conviction, having been found guilty of battery in 1995.

President Donald Trump has made election integrity a central focus of his administration, with officials pointing to enforcement actions like this case as part of broader efforts to prevent noncitizens from participating in U.S. elections.

Existing federal law — 18 U.S.C. § 611: «Voting by aliens» under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 — prohibits noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, from voting in elections for all federal offices.

GRAHAM EYES ‘DOWN PAYMENT’ ON TRUMP-BACKED SAVE ACT WITHOUT DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT

People rally in support of the SAVE America Act outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images, File)

«Nothing is more fundamental than the integrity and security of our elections,» Bis said. «That’s why the Trump Administration has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act — commonsense legislation that requires voters to present photo ID and implements other critical measures to protect federal elections from fraud. 

«Our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens.»

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Despite the IIRIRA, since April 2025, more than 24,000 potential non-U.S. citizens have been identified on voter rolls through the SAVE program and referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for further investigation, according to DHS. 

Officials said more than 60 million voter verification queries have been processed during that time.

Federal officials say the system allows states to verify citizenship status and prevent unlawful voting, and they continue to urge broader adoption nationwide.