Keep pulling the thread on Ralph Goff.
The presence of two CIA officers and two Mexican officials in the same vehicle indicates the incident occurred during a liaison operation approved by the Mexican government, not a unilateral clandestine operation.
A significant counterintelligence threat in Mexico is the penetration of partner government agencies by drug cartels, who can easily recruit officials using money and threats of violence.
The CIA has officers deployed in active conflict or high-risk zones including Iran, Ukraine, and Mexico.
Two Mexican nationals, believed to be officials from a liaison service, were also killed in the same incident as the two CIA officers in Mexico.
The CIA assists Mexican partner services in their missions against drug cartels.
Counter-narcotics has become a more prominent mission for the CIA over the last two decades, driven by priorities of different administrations.
The CIA's current counter-narcotics mission in Mexico is part of the Trump administration's broader policy focus on the Western Hemisphere.
It is unusual for a head of state, such as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, to publicly comment on a specific CIA mission.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has the prominent lead role in U.S. government operations against drug cartels in Mexico.
The FBI, U.S. Customs, and the Department of Homeland Security are all involved in a task force structure for counter-cartel operations in Mexico.
The appointment of Ambassador Ron Johnson, a former special operations officer, by President Trump indicates the administration had a non-traditional approach to its diplomatic efforts in Mexico.
Hostile adversary states including Russia, China, and Iran are actively operating in Mexico.