For years, secret military-style missions have been carried out in Mexico with the backing of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). These operations focused on capturing some of the country’s most powerful drug cartel leaders, including members of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Special army and navy groups in Mexico, known as “vetted units,” were created with direct Central Intelligence Agency support. These elite units were given focused training, advanced equipment, and financial assistance. Members went through polygraph testing and background checks. The aim was to reduce the risk of infiltration by organized crime.
Roberto Aguilera Olivera, a former Mexican Army brigadier general, was one of the early leaders of such a unit in the 1990s. He stated that his soldiers were trained in surveillance, disguises, and intelligence gathering with CIA involvement. Over time, these vetted groups became central to anti-narcotics missions.
The CIA’s participation extended beyond training. The agency provided intelligence through surveillance tools, intercepted communications, and informants. Mexican forces then used this information to carry out raids in high-risk areas.
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Major Arrests of Cartel Leaders
In January 2023, Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was captured in an operation in the Sierra Madre mountains. The mission involved hundreds of Mexican soldiers and helicopters. Intelligence provided with CIA assistance, including wiretaps and insider information, helped locate Guzmán.
During the raid, 29 people were killed, including 10 soldiers. Guzmán was later extradited to the United States, where he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges.
This was not the first attempt to detain him. In 2019, a Mexican army unit trained by the CIA briefly captured Guzmán in Culiacán. The operation ended when armed cartel members launched a large-scale response, leading the Mexican government to order his release.
Other cartel leaders were also captured with CIA-backed support. In 2016, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was arrested in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, in a mission that involved the Mexican Navy. U.S. law enforcement agencies assisted, and officers have said that intelligence shared through CIA channels contributed to the operation.
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Inside the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, the CIA coordinated closely with Mexican officers and other U.S. agencies. The CIA focused on intelligence and strategy, while the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations concentrated on evidence for prosecutions. One of the key Mexican officer who worked with U.S. agencies, Genaro García Luna, was later convicted in the United States for ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Fentanyl Production and U.S. Overdose Crisis
While cartel leaders were being captured, production of synthetic opioids increased. Los Chapitos, including Ovidio Guzmán and Iván Archivaldo Guzmán, were identified by U.S. authorities as major players in fentanyl production. The opioid is about 50 times stronger than heroin and has been linked to tens of thousands of overdose deaths each year in the United States.
The CIA adjusted resources to address this issue. William Burns, the CIA director, testified in 2023 that the agency was focusing more attention on fentanyl networks. Michael Ellis, deputy director of the CIA, said that counterterrorism techniques were being applied in operations against cartels.
Political Tensions Between the U.S. and Mexico
At the political level, there were tensions between the governments of the United States and Mexico. Current U.S. President Donald Trump stated on several occasions that he supported the use of direct U.S. military action against cartels. Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has said publicly that such actions will not be permitted on Mexican territory.
Inside Mexico, violence linked to organized crime has continued. Power struggles within the Sinaloa Cartel, including conflicts between Los Chapitos and the faction led by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, have resulted in deaths and disappearances in Sinaloa. At the same time, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has grown into a rival force in several regions.
For decades, CIA-backed vetted units have been involved in missions against organized crime in Mexico. From the arrest of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán to the capture of Ovidio Guzmán, these operations have played a central role in Mexico’s security strategy, while also shaping cooperation between the two countries.