Federal and state officials are urging residents to “use extreme caution” when traveling to Mexico after a South Texas rancher was killed by an improvised explosive device suspected to have been placed by the cartel.
Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, a 74-year-old Brownsville resident, died last month after he drove over an IED, or homemade bomb, on his ranch in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, about 90 miles south of the border, according to media reports.
Horacio Lopez Peña and his wife, both longtime friends of Céspedes Saldierna, were also in his truck at the time of the explosion. Lopez Peña died and his wife was hospitalized, according to the reports.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement earlier this week that the violent incident highlights the growing threat posed by cartel activity along the Texas-Mexico border.
“The Lower Rio Grande Valley is a crucial part of Texas agriculture, and the safety of our agricultural community is of utmost importance,” he said. “We cannot overlook the rising violence that threatens not only lives but also the security of our farms, ranches, and rural communities.”
Miller urged Texas farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers who travel to Mexico or operate near the border to stay vigilant, remain aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.
“Our agriculture family is the backbone of Texas, and we must do everything we can to protect it,” he said.
The U.S. Embassy also issued a security alert advising residents to not travel to Tamaulipas “due to crime and kidnapping.”
The advisory, dated Thursday, said IEDs have been found in the area of Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, and San Fernando along dirt and secondary roads. The devices are believed to be manufactured and used by criminal organizations.
If traveling through the area, officials urged people to take precautions such as not touching unknown objects, avoiding dirt roads and restricting travel to daylight hours.