CNN Exposes Secret CIA Campaign Targeting Mexico’s Drug Cartels for Elimination

CIA’s Covert Operations in Mexico

According to Главком: An investigation by CNN has uncovered a clandestine CIA campaign in Mexico aimed at physically eliminating key figures within drug cartels. This initiative formed part of the Trump administration’s strategy, featuring an elite CIA ground unit that escalated to direct involvement in killings. As part of this operation, Francisco Beltrán, a member of the Sinaloa cartel, was killed on March 28. Reports indicate Beltrán’s vehicle exploded on a highway near Mexico City, with official investigations confirming an explosive device was placed inside the car. The attack on Beltrán was carried out with assistance from CIA operatives.

Taking Down Major Leaders

In February 2026, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was eliminated. The CIA employs surveillance drones and ground units to support Mexican forces in real time. The operation by Mexico’s Ministry of Defense to take out El Mencho occurred under pressure from the Trump administration. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes’ funeral took place in early March in the Guadalajara suburb of Zapopan, where his body was placed in a gold coffin.

El Mencho’s elimination sparked a wave of violence across more than 20 Mexican states, resulting in over 70 deaths. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Security Minister Omar García Harfuch have disputed the legality of unilateral CIA operations, citing violations of a 2020 law requiring foreign agents to report their activities. Additionally, in the state of Chihuahua, two CIA operatives died in an accident following an operation at a drug lab.

Analysts’ primary concerns revolve around potential cartel retaliation on U.S. soil and the high risk of betrayal by corrupt Mexican law enforcement officials. In Mexico, a ranch was discovered where the CJNG cartel tortured and burned victims; local police raided this ranch last September. The Mexican government states it ‘does not wish or is unable’ to recognize these operations as legal, highlighting the country’s complex situation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that ‘the situation remains complex.’

This situation underscores growing tensions in Mexico, where drug cartels continue to impact national security. CIA operations aimed at eliminating key figures in the drug trade could lead to further violence and instability in the region. The Mexican government’s response to these actions also emphasizes the difficulty of U.S.-Mexico cooperation in combating organized crime, where legal and ethical issues remain unresolved.