MEXICO · SECURITY
Chihuahua’s state prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday 10 November 2026 that nothing in its case file shows Governor Maru Campos knew of or approved US agents taking part in anti-drug operations. It said the information was instead hidden from her, after a US newspaper investigation quoted a former state prosecutor saying she knew.
Key Facts
- Who Chihuahua’s state prosecutors, Governor Maru Campos and Guillermo Arturo Zuany, a former state prosecutor.
- Statement The office says its file does not show she knew or approved; it says the information was withheld.
- Case file 150 statements from 86 people; the inquiry is still open.
- Warrants Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch says state and federal prosecutors hold arrest warrants for Zuany.
- Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 70.8 points (November 2026 edition).
What the Prosecutor Said
In a statement on Tuesday, the Chihuahua state prosecutor’s office said no part of its file on the April 2026 operation in Morelos, a mountain municipality in Chihuahua, shows that Governor María Eugenia “Maru” Campos knew of or authorised foreign participation. It said the evidence points the other way: that the information was withheld from her.
The office said a control judge, the court officer who oversees the early stage of a criminal case, took this account into consideration when ordering formal proceedings to open. It said the file holds 150 statements from 86 people, that the inquiry is in its “complementary” stage when evidence is still gathered, and that the file has been shared with the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR).
The office named no agency for the foreigners. It also said Zuany’s statements made outside the case are not part of the file.
Where the Accusation Came From
A US newspaper investigation reported that Zuany, then a senior state prosecutor for strategic operations, helped agents it describes as officers of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) work with Chihuahua state forces from 2025. It said he told the paper that Campos knew of the agents’ presence, a claim that is reported, not confirmed.
Campos denies the claim. Zuany resigned in May 2026 and no arrest has been reported, although García Harfuch, Mexico’s federal security chief, said on Tuesday that state and federal prosecutors both hold warrants for him.
How the Case Began
In April 2026, Chihuahua state forces took part in an operation to find a clandestine drug lab, and two US citizens and two Mexican officials died in a road accident during the action. The FGR alleges the state took part with US agents present and without federal authorisation.
Former Chihuahua attorney general César Jáuregui was arrested on 17 October in the criminal case over the operation. Our earlier reports on his arrest and on the two Americans who died give the background.
Why It Matters Across the Border
The FGR alleges that foreign agents operated in Chihuahua without federal authorisation, which Mexican law requires. The case has become a test of who may authorise foreign agents on Mexican soil.
For US readers, the case tests how far Washington’s security cooperation with Mexico can go without Mexico City’s formal approval. The federal side of the story is in our report on President Claudia Sheinbaum and the former Chihuahua prosecutor.
What It Means for You
Chihuahua borders Texas and New Mexico, so travellers and cross-border businesses can expect the dispute to stay in the headlines while the federal investigation continues. The statement itself changes no border rules, and no charge against the governor has been announced.
What Is Not Known
It is not known which US agency the foreign agents worked for, because the Chihuahua office named none and the CIA label comes from media reports. Zuany’s claim that Campos knew has not been tested in court, and it is not known when he will face the warrants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Maru Campos?
She is the governor of Chihuahua, a Mexican state on the US border, and belongs to the opposition National Action Party (PAN). She denies knowing of the US agents’ presence in her state.
Who is Guillermo Arturo Zuany?
He is a former Chihuahua state prosecutor for strategic operations who resigned in May 2026. State and federal prosecutors hold arrest warrants for him.
Has the governor been charged?
No charge against her has been announced as of 10 November 2026. The state prosecutor’s office says its file does not show she knew of the operations.
Sources: Statement of the Chihuahua State Prosecutor’s Office, 10 November 2026; statements by Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch; Mexico’s federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error