The Central Intelligence Agency has dramatically escalated covert operations inside Mexico, directly conducting lethal strikes against drug cartel operatives in what sources describe as an unprecedented expansion of American military authority on foreign soil. The agency’s elite Ground Branch unit participated in the March 28 assassination of Francisco Beltran, a mid-level Sinaloa Cartel operative, killed alongside his driver in a car bombing outside Mexico City.
Ground Branch Operatives Lead Deadly Campaign
Multiple intelligence sources confirmed to news outlets that CIA paramilitary operators have moved from advisory roles into direct combat operations targeting cartel leadership. The March highway bombing represents just one incident in what officials characterize as a broader campaign of targeted killings. One source familiar with the operations stated the lethality threshold has been dramatically raised beyond previous limitations on American intelligence activities within Mexican borders. The shift follows President Trump’s formal designation of major cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
Mexico Denies Unilateral Foreign Operations
Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch publicly rejected claims that foreign agencies conduct independent lethal operations within Mexico’s borders. He emphasized that all counter-cartel cooperation with American authorities flows through institutional channels respecting national sovereignty. Garcia Harfuch insisted Mexican forces maintain exclusive operational control within the country, with bilateral cooperation limited to intelligence sharing and formal coordination mechanisms under government oversight. The CIA declined to comment on the allegations, while other Mexican agencies did not respond to inquiries.
Expanded Authority Raises Questions
The reported escalation marks a significant departure from traditional American intelligence operations, which typically avoid direct combat roles in allied nations. Ground Branch units, historically deployed in war zones like Afghanistan and Iraq, now apparently operate with lethal authority in a neighboring country during peacetime. The terrorist designation provides legal cover for expanded military action, though questions remain about Mexican government knowledge and consent. Intelligence experts note the operations could strain diplomatic relations if conducted without full coordination, despite official denials from both governments about unilateral American military action.
