Mexican Prosecutor Who Helped CIA in Chihuahua Flees to US for Protection

Former Chihuahua prosecutor Guillermo Zuany Portillo has fled to the United States and is now under American government protection, US and Mexican officials told The New York Times in a report published on Thursday, November 12, 2026. The Mexican prosecutor CIA Chihuahua story exposes a secret partnership that put American intelligence officers on the ground in Mexico, training state forces and joining counter-cartel missions, without the president knowing.

Key Points

• Guillermo Zuany Portillo, formerly Chihuahua's special prosecutor for strategic operations, fled to the US and is under American protection.
• Zuany shepherded CIA officers for more than six months as they trained Chihuahua state forces and joined counter-cartel missions.
• The CIA presence was exposed in April 2026 when a car crash killed two CIA officers, triggering a political scandal in Mexico.
• Mexican authorities issued an arrest warrant for Zuany on October 17, 2026, and his former boss, ex-Attorney General Cesar Jauregui, was arrested on treason charges.
• President Claudia Sheinbaum has said she did not want US forces in ground operations in Mexico, calling it a breach of sovereignty.

What Happened

The New York Times reported on Thursday, November 12, 2026, that Zuany, the former head of Chihuahua's State Investigation Agency, has fled to the United States and is now under US government protection. Officials confirmed the flight, but Zuany's whereabouts were unknown as of Thursday.

Zuany had served as Chihuahua's special prosecutor for strategic operations, one of the most sensitive security jobs in a state bordering Texas and New Mexico that has long been a battleground for drug cartels. In that role, he became the key Mexican partner for a secret CIA presence, shepherding American officers for more than six months beginning last year as they trained state forces, joined counter-cartel missions and provided expertise during ground operations.

The arrangement stayed hidden until April 2026, when a car crash killed two CIA officers and exposed the American presence, setting off a political scandal. The revelation raised questions about who had authorised foreign intelligence officers to operate on Mexican soil, and how much Mexico's government knew.

Background and Context

The CIA's role in Mexico has long been one of the most sensitive subjects in the US-Mexico relationship. Washington has pressed for deeper cooperation against the cartels, while Mexican leaders have guarded sovereignty over security inside their country. President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly said she did not want US forces in ground operations in Mexico, calling it a breach of sovereignty, and has denied knowledge of the CIA activities in Chihuahua.

Zuany's account points in a different direction. He says Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos knew of the CIA presence, a claim Campos denies. The dispute leaves open how far up the chain of command the partnership reached, and whether state officials acted with or without federal approval.

The case is tangled by Zuany's own history with the United States. Washington cancelled his visa late last year, citing alleged cartel links, then reinstated it after he facilitated the CIA partnership, and the FBI had also investigated him. That reversal, from suspected cartel associate to protected partner, is now at the centre of the storm. Read our report on President Donald Trump threatening to double tariffs on Mexico over migrant caravans.

The Secret CIA Operation in Chihuahua

According to the report, the CIA officers worked alongside Chihuahua state forces for more than six months, beginning last year. Their work went beyond advice and intelligence sharing: they trained state officers, joined them on missions against the cartels and lent expertise during ground operations, the direct involvement Mexican presidents have long resisted.

Chihuahua is one of Mexico's most violent states, a corridor for drug trafficking and a stronghold for organised crime. For the CIA, a willing state-level partner offered a way to act against the cartels without waiting for a federal agreement in Mexico City. For Zuany, it offered American training, intelligence and firepower in a fight his forces were losing.

Reactions and Quotes

Mexican authorities moved against Zuany weeks ago. On October 17, 2026, they issued a warrant for him on charges of alleged illegal exercise of public service, collusion and falsehood tied to supervising US agents. His former boss, ex-Chihuahua Attorney General Cesar Jauregui, was arrested last month on treason charges and is held in maximum security.

President Sheinbaum has denied knowledge of the CIA activities and has repeatedly drawn a line against American boots on the ground in Mexico: foreign forces operating inside Mexico without federal approval breach the country's sovereignty, whatever the target.

Governor Campos denies Zuany's claim that she knew of the CIA presence. The conflicting accounts mean the fallout is far from settled, and the question of who authorised the operation is likely to dominate debate in Mexico for weeks. Read our report on the Pentagon defending its Caribbean boat strikes against suspected drug traffickers.

Why It Matters

The Zuany case lays bare the gap between what the United States and Mexico say in public about security cooperation and what happens in practice. Washington wants results against the cartels, and Mexico City wants control over who operates on its soil. A secret CIA deployment, arranged at state level and exposed only by a fatal accident, shows how easily the two collide.

It also matters for the Trump administration's wider campaign against the cartels. The US has already used military force against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and threatened tariffs on Mexico. A revelation that American intelligence officers were operating on the ground in Mexico will sharpen the argument in both countries about how far that campaign should go.

For Mexico, the case is a test of sovereignty and accountability. If a state prosecutor could host foreign intelligence officers without federal approval, the government will face demands to explain how it happened and punish those responsible. If the operation had wider approval, it will face demands to say so.

What Happens Next

Zuany's future now depends on the US government protecting him. His whereabouts were unknown as of Thursday, and it is not clear whether Washington will shield him from extradition if Mexico seeks his return.

In Mexico, the investigation continues. Jauregui remains in maximum security on treason charges, prosecutors may pursue others linked to the operation, and the dispute between Sheinbaum and Campos over who knew what is likely to deepen.

The wider question is whether the exposure will change how the two countries cooperate against the cartels. For now, the secret partnership is over, its chief Mexican partner is under American protection, and both governments are left to explain what happened.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Guillermo Zuany Portillo? He is the former Chihuahua special prosecutor for strategic operations and the former head of the state's investigation agency.

How was the CIA presence exposed? A car crash in April 2026 killed two CIA officers, revealing the American presence and triggering a political scandal.

Why is Mexico seeking his arrest? A warrant issued October 17, 2026, cites alleged illegal exercise of public service, collusion and falsehood tied to supervising US agents.

Where is Zuany now? He has fled to the United States and is under US government protection, but his exact whereabouts were unknown as of Thursday.