Federal Judge Decides Saturday if Chihuahua Ex-AG Faces Treason Trial

A federal judge is scheduled to rule on Saturday whether to accept a treason indictment against César Jáuregui, the former attorney general of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The charge stems from a joint operation with U.S. agents that resulted in four deaths in April. If the judge admits the indictment, Jáuregui could face a sentence of five to 40 years in prison.

The legal action follows a state court ruling on Thursday that cleared Jáuregui to stand trial on charges of illegally exercising public office. Federal prosecutors later introduced the treason count, arguing that Jáuregui endangered national security by allowing U.S. agents to participate in a field operation without notifying the federal government. That decision is constitutionally reserved for the federal executive.

The dispute originated during an April 19 raid on a drug laboratory in the municipality of Morelos. The Chihuahua Attorney General's Office announced the lab's dismantling, but a vehicle in the return convoy crashed into a ravine. Four people died in the accident: Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes, the first commander of the state investigation agency; Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes, a state officer; and two Americans. Jáuregui described the two U.S. nationals as instructor officers conducting training tasks under binational cooperation agreements.

Legal experts question whether the facts support a treason claim. Samuel González, a former chief prosecutor for organized crime, stated that while Jáuregui may have failed in his duties by not informing federal authorities or allowing foreign agents to carry weapons, the act does not meet the definition of treason, which he identified as a wartime crime. Carlos Pérez Ricart, a professor at CIDE university, characterized the charge as a political move ahead of the 2027 midterm elections. He warned that the case sends a negative signal to Washington.

Accounts of the Americans' status remain inconsistent. U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson referred to them as embassy personnel, while individuals familiar with the matter told CBS News they were CIA agents. The CIA declined to comment. Mexico's security ministry reported that one American entered as a visitor and the other held a diplomatic passport, yet neither had formal accreditation for operational activities. Two additional U.S. agents in a separate vehicle were expelled from the country.

Defense attorney Héctor Villasana told a closed hearing that prosecutors sought an exemplary punishment to prevent a scenario similar to the U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. State Department stated it is monitoring the case but did not formally link it to the CIA deaths. President Claudia Sheinbaum said none of the agents had permission to operate in Mexico, reinforcing her administration's stance on national sovereignty.