Ex-Chihuahua Attorney General Arrested for Treason Over US Drug Raid

Mexican authorities arrested former Chihuahua Attorney General Cesar Jauregui on suspicion of treason after prosecutors alleged he allowed foreign personnel to participate in an unauthorized drug raid in April, Attorney General Ernestina Godoy said on Saturday.

The arrest follows months of investigations and stems from an irregular raid on a suspected drug laboratory in the northern border state of Chihuahua. According to prosecutors, the former state attorney general permitted United States agents to take part in the operation without the legal authorization required under Mexican law.

Investigation Into Unauthorized Foreign Intervention

Godoy stated in a video message that the investigation determined the suspect, identified in official procedures as Cesar N, may have engaged in conduct constituting the crime of treason regarding matters of national security.

The investigation determined that Cesar N may have engaged in conduct that could possibly constitute the crime of treason in matters of national security because he allegedly allowed foreign individuals to intervene without authorization on Mexican territory and take part in actions that correspond exclusively to national security forces, Godoy said.

A federal judge signed the arrest warrant following the months-long inquiry. Jauregui could not immediately be reached for comment regarding the allegations.

US Embassy Employee Deaths Heighten Bilateral Security Tensions

In the wake of those deaths, President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated that her administration welcomes intelligence sharing and bilateral cooperation against organized crime, while maintaining that foreign agents and forces are barred from directly participating in operations on Mexican territory. The US embassy declined to comment on the arrest.