Former U.S. Embassy "Anti-Narcotics" Collaborators Killed in Armed Attack Near Guadalajara

Two men with past ties to U.S. government-backed security programs were gunned down in a taquería in San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, late Friday night. The victims—both seasoned instructors in intelligence and anti-narcotics operations—had previously worked with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico but were not employed by it at the time of the attack.

César "N," a former Guadalajara police officer and ex-agent for Mexico's federal investigative agency (PGR), had also collaborated with Interpol. He was killed alongside Carlos "N," a financial crimes specialist from Hidalgo, who had provided training through U.S. State Department anti-narcotics programs. Both were reportedly unarmed when they were shot, per coverage by Infobae.

A third man, Pablo "N," survived after being hit with nine bullets. He previously coordinated prison security in Chihuahua and was currently working as an intelligence analyst on programs supported by the U.S. government.

All three had provided security training to Mexican personnel—often in areas linked to combating organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, and financial crimes tied to drug cartels. Their work fell under the umbrella of the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), according to the report.

The Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office confirmed the attack left a total of six people wounded. Authorities haven't disclosed whether the other victims were connected to the three men or if this was a broader, indiscriminate act of violence. What they did confirm: none of the targeted individuals were armed, and all had experience in high-risk fields—intelligence, financial crime, and anti-fentanyl operations.

Following the incident, the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara issued a formal statement. Through Merlyn Schultz, the Consulate's Regional Public Affairs Officer, the U.S. government expressed condolences and clarified a key point that had caused speculation: the victims were not currently working for the U.S. Embassy. The victims had previously trained embassy staff and participated in U.S.-sponsored programs, but as of the time of the shooting, they held no official diplomatic employment status.

Schultz added that with the investigation still underway, there would be no further comments from the U.S. government. Anyone looking for additional details was pointed directly to Mexican authorities, who are leading the investigation.