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Mexico says 2 US federal agents who died were not authorized to participate in any local operation

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Mexico says 2 US federal agents who died were not authorized to participate in any local operation
News

News

Mexico says 2 US federal agents who died were not authorized to participate in any local operation

2026-04-26 03:54 Last Updated At:04:11

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s government said Saturday that two U.S. federal agents recently killed in a car crash in the country’s northern region were not authorized to participate in operations in Mexico.

The role of the two CIA agents who were returning from destroying a clandestine drug lab in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua remains unclear.

Local government officials have said they were part of a convoy when their car drove off a ravine last weekend and the vehicle exploded. Two Mexican officers also were killed.

The Americans killed were from the CIA, The Associated Press confirmed earlier this week with a U.S. official and two other people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

The CIA has declined to comment.

A statement from Mexico’s Ministry of Security said one U.S. agent entered Mexico as a visitor while the other entered with a diplomatic passport.

It also asserted that Mexico’s government was not aware of foreign agents operating or planning to participate in an operation on its soil.

The ministry said it is reviewing the case with local authorities and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.

“Mexican law is clear: it does not permit the participation of foreign agents in operations within the national territory,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added: “The Government of Mexico reiterates its willingness to maintain a close, serious, and respectful relationship with the Government of the United States for the benefit of the security of both countries.”

Officials from both countries have offered contradictory accounts on the issue, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum admitting on Wednesday that federal forces were involved after Mexico’s government said it had no knowledge of any operation or U.S. involvement.

FILE - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during her daily morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

FILE - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during her daily morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jermod McCoy's lengthy wait to hear his name called at the NFL draft came to a quick end on Saturday.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected the Tennessee cornerback with the first pick of the fourth round, taking a small gamble that McCoy will return to form after missing all of last season with a torn ACL.

McCoy had six interceptions in 25 games with the Volunteers and Oregon State, where he began his college career in 2023 before transferring to Tennessee. He injured the knee during offseason workouts in January 2025, not long after the Vols lost in the College Football Playoff.

“I was prepared for whatever happened, but, I mean, I would’ve been excited to go higher, for sure, because, I mean, I had a good pro day, ran some good times and just did good things like that,” McCoy said. “But, I mean, I was prepared for whatever happened. Because, I mean, it’s not in my control.”

The Raiders are hoping McCoy can help a defense that failed to generate takeaways with much consistency during a miserable 3-14 season in 2025. Las Vegas had just eight interceptions in 17 games last season, 25th in the 32-team league.

The pick also reunites McCoy — in a way at least — with top overall pick Fernando Mendoza. McCoy's first career collegiate interception came against Mendoza while McCoy was at Oregon State and Mendoza was playing at California.

“It was probably one of the top moments in my life, my first college pick,” McCoy said. "We talked after that game too, just chopped it up a little bit ... We got the best quarterback in college football and now going to be the best in the league.”

McCoy added that watching the first three rounds pass by without being selected will “fuel” him as he looks to regain the form that had him on a first-round trajectory before the injury.

“I feel like I learned about myself, it’s just like, I feel like I’m super mentally strong,” he said. “I feel I’ve just been through a lot. I got a story that I’m still trying to tell.”

McCoy isn't the only one.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who began his last season with the Tigers with Heisman Trophy and national title hopes, only to endure a nightmarish fall in which Clemson went 7-6, went to the New York Jets with the 110th pick.

The fanfare of Thursday night's opening round — replete with a walk down the red carpet for the top prospects who will be tasked to be contributors very quickly — was long gone by Saturday.

Perhaps no player had a more symbolic experience on what Day 3 is like than Iowa wide receiver Kaden Wetjen, taken by the host Steelers in the fourth round.

There was no draft party for Wetjen. No camera set up in his family's living room to capture the moment. Instead, Wetjen went golfing while his parents headed to the Drake Relays to watch his younger brother compete.

“So, the plan was to kind of text everybody after I got the information and have everybody over tonight,” Wetjen said. “So thankfully it happened earlier than we expected, and I didn’t shank it into the pond after I got picked, so everything’s going good.”

The fifth round included Ohio State defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr., following brother Sonny — selected seventh overall by Washington on Thursday — into the pros when he was taken by New Orleans.

The final day of the league's offseason festival began with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell telling the rain-soaked fans outside Acrisure Stadium that Pittsburgh had set a record for attendance on Thursday and Friday, with more than 600,000 people packing themselves into the city's North Shore and nearby Point State Park.

The record for attendance during the entirety of the draft is 775,000, set by Detroit in 2025. That mark appeared in jeopardy even on a day that began with a soft but steady rain, though the Pittsburgh visitor's bureau did send out an email Saturday afternoon saying a late surge might be required to make history.

Then again, many in attendance didn't need to look far to get their hands on the yellow Terrible Towels that have long been fixtures at games of the hometown Steelers.

All four of the club's Day 2 picks made their way to the stage tucked in the stadium's northeast parking lot, including former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, who was a somewhat surprising third-round selection.

“I'm really excited,” Allar said. “Enjoyed my four years at Penn State ... But I'm really excited to represent Steeler fans and Steeler nation and really win a lot of games.”

That part might not come right away. Allar joins a quarterback room that includes veteran Mason Rudolph and former Ohio State star Will Howard, a sixth-round choice by the Steelers in 2025. And that doesn't include Aaron Rodgers, who very well could rejoin the club at some point before preparations for the 2026 season turn serious.

AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Pittsburgh Steelers fans cheer during the third round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Pittsburgh Steelers fans cheer during the third round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Mike Seavert, left, and Matthias Kraus watch during third day of the NFL football draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Mike Seavert, left, and Matthias Kraus watch during third day of the NFL football draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Fans watch at the draft theater during third day of the NFL football draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Fans watch at the draft theater during third day of the NFL football draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

FILE - Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik runs the 40-yard dash during the school's NFL football pro day, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Clemson, S.C.. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

FILE - Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik runs the 40-yard dash during the school's NFL football pro day, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Clemson, S.C.. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

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