CIA’s covert drone flights over Mexico: A new chapter in America’s dark history with the drug trade

By willowt // 2025-02-26

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The CIA is expanding its covert drone surveillance program over Mexico to target fentanyl labs operated by drug cartels.
Critics argue that this move is hypocritical, as the CIA has a documented history of enabling and even profiting from the drug trade.
The agency's involvement in global drug trafficking includes the Iran-Contra scandal, the crack epidemic of the 1980s and alleged ties to Mexican cartels.
The program's expansion raises serious questions about sovereignty and accountability, as Mexican authorities emphasize their country's non-negotiable sovereignty.
The risks of escalation, including potential diplomatic and practical consequences, highlight the need for the CIA to confront its history and commit to genuine accountability in the drug war.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is once again making headlines, this time for its expanded covert drone surveillance program over Mexico, aimed at targeting fentanyl labs operated by drug cartels. While the Trump administration touts this as a bold step in the war on drugs, critics argue it’s a hypocritical move from an agency with a long and sordid history of enabling — and even profiting from — the very drug trade it now claims to combat. The irony is palpable. The CIA, an agency that has repeatedly been implicated in global drug trafficking, is now positioning itself as the savior of American communities ravaged by the opioid crisis. But for those who remember the Iran-Contra scandal, the crack epidemic of the 1980s and the CIA’s alleged ties to cartels, this latest chapter feels less like a solution and more like a continuation of a deeply troubling legacy.

A legacy of complicity

The CIA’s involvement in the drug trade is not a conspiracy theory — it’s a documented fact. In the 1980s, the Iran-Contra scandal revealed that the Reagan administration facilitated secret arms sales to Iran to fund Nicaraguan rebels, with the CIA implicated in cocaine trafficking into the U.S. Investigative journalist Gary Webb later exposed how the crack epidemic devastating America’s inner cities was linked to traffickers allegedly protected by the CIA. Webb’s reporting was met with fierce backlash, and his death in 2004 — ruled a suicide despite being shot twice in the head — remains a chilling reminder of the dangers of exposing the agency’s secrets. The CIA’s ties to drug cartels extend far beyond the 1980s. Renowned drug smuggler Barry Seal, who worked with the Medellin Cartel, was allegedly a CIA operative as far back as the Bay of Pigs invasion. Juan Pablo Escobar, son of infamous cartel leader Pablo Escobar, confirmed that his father “worked for the CIA,” alleging that drugs were trafficked directly to a U.S. military base in Florida. In Mexico, the CIA’s relationship with cartels is equally damning. Investigative journalist Manuel Hernandez Borbolla has documented how Mexican cartels formed under the protection of the Federal Security Directorate, which he described as “practically employees of the CIA.” The agency’s alleged involvement in the 1985 murder of DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who was tortured and killed after uncovering drug and arms smuggling operations linked to the Contras, further underscores its dark history.

A new war on drugs — or a repeat of the past?

Fast forward to 2025, and the CIA is once again at the forefront of the drug war, this time with MQ-9 Reaper drones surveilling Mexican cartels. The program, initiated under the Biden administration and expanded under Trump, aims to locate fentanyl labs and share intelligence with Mexican authorities. But critics warn that this approach risks repeating past mistakes. “Lessons learned in the counterterrorism realm are applicable to the counternarcotics mission,” said a source familiar with CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s plans. But as history shows, the CIA’s “lessons” often come with unintended consequences. The agency’s expanded role in Mexico raises serious questions about sovereignty and accountability. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has emphasized that her country’s sovereignty is “not negotiable,” but the CIA’s covert drone flights — which go “well into sovereign Mexico” — suggest otherwise. The program has already caused consternation in Mexico, a nation with a long history of U.S. intervention, from the Mexican-American War to the Merida Initiative.

The risks of escalation

The Trump administration’s aggressive approach to the drug war has drawn comparisons to the “war on terrorism,” with some officials advocating for direct action against cartel leaders on Mexican soil. But former intelligence and military officials warn that such actions could spark a ferocious backlash. “I don’t think people fully understand what that could mean,” said a former U.S. intelligence official. “It’s one thing to do that in a lawless environment, like Yemen or Somalia or Afghanistan.” The risks are not just diplomatic — they’re also practical. Fentanyl labs are often located in urban areas, making airstrikes or raids potentially catastrophic. And while the CIA has not been authorized to use lethal force, the possibility of violence remains high if Mexican authorities act on the intelligence provided.

A history of hypocrisy

The CIA’s latest foray into the drug war is not just a policy shift — it’s a stark reminder of the agency’s enduring hypocrisy. For decades, the CIA has been accused of enabling the very drug trade it now claims to fight. From Iran-Contra to Fast and Furious, the agency’s actions have often exacerbated the problems they were meant to solve. As the U.S. ramps up its surveillance and intelligence-sharing efforts, it must reckon with this history. The opioid crisis is a national tragedy, but trusting the CIA to solve it is like asking an arsonist to put out a fire. Until the agency confronts its past and commits to genuine accountability, its involvement in the drug war will remain a source of outrage—and a cautionary tale. The question is not whether the CIA can stop the flow of drugs into the U.S., but whether it should be trusted to do so. Given its track record, the answer is clear: No. Sources include: GospaNews.com WashingtonPost.com NYTimes.com