MEXICO CITY, April 20 (Reuters) – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday she was not aware U.S. embassy officials were working with the northern state of Chihuahua to combat drug cartels and said her government would review whether national security law was broken, after the officials died in a car crash.
Two U.S. officials and two Mexican state officials were killed in a car crash on Sunday where they had been working to destroy clandestine drug laboratories.
Speaking at her daily morning press conference, Sheinbaum said she would ask U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson to meet with Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco to discuss the incident.
The role of U.S. personnel in anti-cartel missions is highly sensitive in Mexico and Sheinbaum has repeatedly said that while intelligence sharing and security cooperation are essential to fighting organized crime, Mexico will not accept U.S. boots on the ground.
In contrast, U.S. President Donald Trump has called for greater use of U.S. military force to combat Mexican cartels.
The embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Mexican officials killed in the accident were the director of the state’s investigation agency and an officer, state authorities said on Sunday. Ambassador Johnson, in a post on X mourning the incident, did not identify the U.S. embassy staff that died.
(Reporting by Mexico City newsroom; Editing by Sarah Morland)
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