A Texas rancher was killed earlier this month in what authorities suspect was a cartel-planted improvised explosive device (IED) on the border with Mexico. The incident has raised serious safety concerns for those living and working near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, 74, and Horacio Lopez Peña lost their lives in an explosion in Tamaulipas, Mexico, just south of Brownsville, Texas. The blast also injured Lopez’s wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, who was taken to a hospital for treatment, according to reports.
Saldierna, who owned land on both sides of the border, was reportedly driving on his ranch when his vehicle detonated an explosive device, causing a fatal blast. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller condemned the attack, describing it as part of the escalating violence linked to cartel activity.
“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.
I urge all Texas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers who travel to Mexico or operate near the border to exercise extreme caution. 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.”
The attack struck a deeply personal chord for Saldierna’s son, Ramiro Céspedes, a U.S. Army veteran who survived an IED explosion during his military service. Drawing a chilling comparison between the violence at the border and his experiences in combat zones, he called his father’s death an act of terrorism. “I consider this a terrorist attack because if I went to war to fight terrorists, and I’m seeing the same thing here … it is a terrorist attack,” Céspedes said.
One of the first moves by President Trump was to designate the drug cartels in Mexico as terrorist organizations. In response, earlier in the month, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened American gun manufacturing if the State Department completed the president’s executive order.
The executive order targets Mexican cartels and names Tren de Aragua (Venezuelan in origin) and MS-13 (a Salvadoran-founded gang with limited drug trade involvement). The State Department will also designate six Mexican cartels: Sinaloa, Jalisco New Generation, Northeast, Michoacán Family, United Cartels, and Cartel del Golfo.
U.S. officials have been monitoring increasing cartel activity in border regions, with federal authorities previously warning about the escalating threat of organized crime. In response to the extreme violence used by some cartel groups, certain factions have even been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. As concerns over border security continue to grow, local officials emphasize the need for caution, particularly for those living and working in areas where cartel influence is strong.
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Cartels run Mexico
We need to give the cartels the unmistakable message that this is an act of war and when they are found, they won’t be buried because there won’t be enough left to bury.