By Aldgra Fredly
Two instructor officers from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico and two Mexican officials died in a car crash in Chihuahua, Mexico, on April 19, according to local authorities.
The Mexican officials were identified as Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes, director of the Chihuahua state investigation agency, and officer Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes. The identities of the two U.S. Embassy staffers have not been made public.
Chihuahua Attorney General César Jáuregui Moreno said the four officials were on their way back from an operation targeting clandestine laboratories in the municipality of Morelos when the incident occurred.
“From here, we extend our deepest condolences and wish strength to the families of those who died in this regrettable accident,” Moreno said in a statement.
He did not elaborate on the details of the incident or the operation the officials had been working on.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said in an April 19 post on X that he was deeply saddened by the news, and he said that the four deaths served as “a solemn reminder of the risks faced by those Mexican and U.S. officials who are dedicated to protecting the U.S. and Mexican communities.”
“We honor their dedication and tireless efforts to confront one of the greatest challenges of our time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones,” he said. “The incident strengthens our resolve to continue their mission and advance our shared commitment to security and justice, to protect our people.”
In an April 19 post on X, Chihuahua Gov. Maru Campos extended her deepest condolences to the family and friends of Oseguera Cervantes, saying that he “lost his life in the line of duty, working for the peace and security of the people of Chihuahua.”
In February, the White House warned Mexican drug cartels not to target U.S. citizens after it was revealed that the United States provided intelligence to the Mexican government in its operation that killed cartel leader El Mencho, whose real name is Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes.
He was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as CJNG, one of the most powerful drug organizations in the country. His death sparked violence across the country, as cartel members set fire to gas stations and burned vehicles on highways in Puerto Vallarta.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told “Fox & Friends” on Feb. 24 that cartels should “know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this president, and they already are.”
The operation to kill the cartel boss, she said, was supported by U.S. intelligence provided to the Mexican government.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
