The Central Intelligence Agency of the United States (CIA) is using MQ-9 Reaper drones on Mexican territory to spy on drug cartels, according to CNN. These drones are regularly used by the United States to target alleged terrorists in countries like Syria, Iraq, and Somalia, according to the news network.
U.S. officials explain that designating organized crime groups as terrorists would be the basis for the United States to carry out direct attacks against the cartels in Mexico. According to a CIA spokesperson mentioned by CNN, combating drug cartels in Mexico and the region is a priority for the agency as part of the broader efforts of the Trump administration to combat drug trafficking.
According to officials familiar with the matter, this strategy is part of the White House's reorientation regarding the security of the southern border of the United States. Despite this, the MQ-9 drones used for missions are not currently armed.
Recently, the presence of U.S. aircraft in Mexican territory was detected. In early February, a U.S. Air Force Boeing RC-135 V flew over the Gulf of California. These aircraft are for reconnaissance and signal interception, collecting real-time information in flight within the area where they are deployed, according to aviation sources.
The Department of National Defense (Sedena) initially dismissed that the U.S. aircraft had entered Mexican territory, indicating that it was flying over international waters. However, later, Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla expressed that he had no information regarding the reason for the U.S. flights over Mexican territory, suggesting the possibility of espionage.
Despite the overflights of U.S. planes in the border area, the mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, downplayed that they were related to espionage activities against drug cartels, stating that the flights occurred in international airspace and were something normal. Nonetheless, Trevilla pointed out that no requests have been received from the U.S. government for the aircraft to be in Mexican territory, although it is possible that they could be equipped with useful payloads to carry out precision strikes.
