Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued a warning on Tuesday about the threat of Mexican cartel violence to ranchers along the southern border after a farmer was killed by an improvised explosive device.
Authorities said a cartel planted an IED that killed a 74-year-old Texas rancher and another individual and injured a third person.
“I urge all Texas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers who travel to Mexico or operate near the border to exercise extreme caution,” Miller said in a statement.
Why It Matters
Upon returning to office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating Mexican drug cartels and other Latin American groups, such as the Venezuelan crime syndicate Tren de Aragua, as terrorist organizations.
The order said such groups “threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.”
The president has also floated the possibility of deploying U.S. troops into Mexico to combat the country’s powerful crime lords, saying it “could happen.”
What To Know
Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, a rancher who operated on both sides of the border, was killed on the Mexican side near Brownsville, Texas, after driving over an IED—believed to have been planted by a drug cartel in Tamaulipas, according to Miller’s office.
Horacio Lopez Peña was also killed in the incident, while his wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, was hospitalized with injuries. According to reports, the incident occurred earlier this month.
“A tragic and alarming incident occurred near Brownsville, Texas, where a U.S. citizen and Texas rancher was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED). This shocking act of violence highlights the growing threat posed by cartel activity along our southern border,” Miller said.
A funeral service was held on Tuesday for Saldierna.
Ramiro Céspedes, the rancher’s son, served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He told KRGV-TV that he was injured by an IED while deployed.
The Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Cártel del Norte, La Nueva Familia Michoacana, the Gulf Cartel and Cárteles Unidos are among the groups that the Trump administration has designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
Last month, the Tamaulipas government used its Facebook page to warn residents against touching unfamiliar devices found on the ground.
Representative Keith Self, a Republican from Texas, has called for a more aggressive stance against drug cartels operating along the U.S.-Mexico border, arguing that the United States must go on the offense rather than remain defensive.
“We don’t need to be cowering in our holes,” Self previously told Newsweek. “We need to be threatening the cartels.”
What People Are Saying
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement: “The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is a crucial part of Texas agriculture, and the safety of our agricultural community is of utmost importance. We cannot overlook the rising violence that threatens not only lives but also the security of our farms, ranches, and rural communities.
“I encourage everyone in the agricultural industry to stay vigilant, remain aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. Additionally, you can avoid dirt roads and remote areas, refrain from touching unfamiliar objects that could be explosive devices, limit travel to daylight hours, stay on main roads, and avoid cartel-controlled regions. Our agriculture family is the backbone of Texas, and we must do everything we can to protect it.”
Ramiro Céspedes told KRGV-TV: “I consider this a terrorist attack because if I went to war to fight terrorists, and I’m seeing the same thing here, to me—my personal opinion—it is a terrorist attack.”
Speaking on cartel violence, Representative Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, told Newsweek: “These cartels control our southern border. They’ve moved back and forth with impunity, and they are very dangerous. They’re flooding our neighborhoods and streets with fentanyl and deadly drugs. They’ve got violent gangs running their networks inside the United States. It’s a real threat to the American people, and so I’m glad the president is taking us on and very serious about it. It’s a major priority.”
What Happens Next
As the Trump administration has classified cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, the U.S. has broadened its legal tools to combat such groups. It remains to be seen whether the order could lead to expanded military and intelligence operations targeting cartel networks.
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