Sheinbaum says US agrees to respect Mexican law following CIA scandal: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds

• 🛒 Labor poverty hits record low: Labor Minister Marath Bolaños noted that Mexico’s labor poverty rate has reached its lowest point ever, with 32.3% of Mexicans living in households unable to cover basic food needs as of Q4 2025.

• 🔍 Chihuahua AG resigns amid CIA raid fallout: Attorney General César Jáuregui stepped down as the controversy over alleged CIA participation in a Chihuahua drug lab raid deepens. Sheinbaum declared that the federal investigation must continue, framing the case as a matter of national sovereignty.

• 🇺🇸 U.S. responds to Mexico’s diplomatic note: The Trump administration told the Mexican government it will respect Mexican law and the constitution following a formal protest over U.S. personnel joining a domestic security operation. Sheinbaum stopped short of expelling CIA agents, saying the message to the U.S. is simply: “Mexico must be respected.”

Why today’s mañanera matters

The alleged participation of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers in a drug lab raid in the northern state of Chihuahua earlier this month continues to be a major news story and point of discussion in Mexico. President Sheinbaum addressed two new developments related to the saga at her Tuesday morning press conference.

Mexico sends protest note to US ambassador over CIA activities in Chihuahua: Monday’s mañanera recapped

Also of note at today’s mañanera was the focus on labor poverty data. The government is touting that the labor poverty rate has fallen to its lowest level on record, but almost one-third of Mexicans live in households with income that is insufficient to cover their basic food needs. Therefore, it is clear that the Sheinbaum administration still has much work to do to combat poverty.

Labor poverty rate at lowest level on record 

Labor Minister Marath Bolaños highlighted that Mexico’s labor poverty rate is currently at its lowest level on record.

According to data from the national statistics agency INEGI, in the fourth quarter of 2025, 32.3% of Mexicans lived in households where combined labor income was insufficient to cover a basic monthly food basket per person.

“In simple concrete terms,” Bolaños said, “more families can cover their basic needs with their income.”

Chihuahua AG resigns 

Sheinbaum acknowledged that César Jáuregui, attorney general of Chihuahua, resigned on Monday amid the ongoing fallout related to the alleged participation of CIA agents in a drug lab raid in the northern state without the knowledge of the federal government.

Jáuregui initially claimed that CIA agents didn’t participate in the raid, an assertion that is almost certainly incorrect.

Sheinbaum has assigned most of the blame for the apparently secret, allegedly illegal security collaboration between Chihuahua and the United States to the Chihuahua government, although her administration also requested information from U.S. authorities.

“[For] us and all Mexicans, what matters in this case is the defense of sovereignty,” the president said on Tuesday morning.

The Mexican constitution and the National Security Law have to be respected, she added.

“That’s why the clarification of this case is very important. Yesterday there was a resignation, but … the investigation has to continue,” Sheinbaum said, noting that the Federal Attorney General’s Office is conducting a probe into the alleged participation of CIA officers in an operation in Chihuahua earlier this month.

Two CIA officers and two Chihuahua security officials were killed in a car accident after the operation on the weekend of April 18 and 19.

US responds to Mexico’s diplomatic note 

Sheinbaum said that her government received a response to the diplomatic note that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico expressing the Mexican government’s opposition to the participation of U.S. personnel in security operations in Mexican territory.

“In the reply, they clearly tell us that they want to respect the law and the constitution in Mexico,” she said.

Asked whether CIA agents in Mexico would be expelled from the country, Sheinbaum responded:

“No, not right now. What we’re saying to the United States is Mexico must be respected. … In this case, there were U.S. citizens in an operation that corresponds solely to Mexican authorities. So we tell them this is outside the law and they respond, ‘We’re going to adhere to the agreements we have, and the framework of the law and the constitution in Mexico.’”