In recent months there has been a growing threat to border ranchers, as cartels leave IEDs along the Mexican border intended to injure and kill patrols.
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The 74-year-old Texas rancher worked both sides of the border. He was out, patrolling, when his car hit an explosive device on the side of the road. The suspected IED killed Rancher Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, and Horacio Lopez Peña, and injured the rancher's wife. She was hospitalized after the incident.
The explosive was located in Tamaulipas, Mexico, just south of Brownsville. The alleged IED ripped through his truck, instantly killing the rancher and wounding his wife. This is not the first case and has become a growing threat along the border.
Authorities suspect this one was left by a cartel. They have become a growing threat in the area, and people working along the Mexican border need to exercise heightened caution.
Growing Risk Of IED Attacks Along Mexican Border
In a statement about the situation, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, said, "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."
As a result, agents are on high alert. The suspected IED used to kill the rancher is considered a terrorist weapon. Now, Trump has listed several cartels as terrorist groups. Tactics like these are specifically designed to hit civilians and cause terror along the border.
The rancher hit by the IED was an innocent casualty of ongoing wars between cartels and border patrol. His son, Ramiro Céspedes, was also hit by an IED while on deployment. He is now a retired army veteran and devastated to hear of his father's death something he so narrowly avoided.
"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," he told the New York Post.
