Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller warns agricultural workers to use caution near the border after an explosion killed a ranch owner in Tamaulipas.
Texas Ag riculture Commissioner Sid Miller urges ranchers, farmers and agricultural workers to use caution near the U.S. - Mexico border. The warning comes after two people were killed by an improvised explosive device earlier this month.
Miller said the “tragic and alarming” incident occurred near Brownsville, killing both a U.S. citizen and a Texas rancher. “I encourage everyone in the agricultural industry to stay vigilant, remain aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement,” he said in a news release on Tuesday. People are advised to avoid dirt roads and remote areas, refrain from touching unfamiliar objects that could be explosive devices, and limit travel to daylight hours. Miller also suggests staying on main roads and avoiding cartel-controlled regions. Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, 74, of Brownsville, was identified as one of the men who died on Jan. 31 in Tamaulipas, according to KRGV.com. He drove over the explosive device, setting it off. Two others, Horacio Lopez Peña and his wife Ninfa Griselda Ortega, were in the pickup with Saldierna. Lopez died, and Ortega was hospitalized. Saldierna’s son Ramiro Céspedes told KRGV.com that Saldierna was driving on his ranch in the Santa Rita area of San Fernando, Tamaulipas, when the explosive device went off. Ramiro Céspedes, a U.S. Army veteran who served several missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, told KRGV.com that an IED injured him on his deployment. He considers his father’s death a terrorist attack. “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,” Céspedes said. READ ALSO: Texas ag commissioner issues warning about ‘mysterious seed packages’ Miller said the “shocking act of violence highlights the growing threat posed by cartel activity along our southern border.” He said the Lower Rio Grande Valley is a crucial part of Texas agriculture, and the safety of the 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,” he said. On Jan. 27, the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico shared a warning from the State of Tamaulipas that urged people to avoid moving or touching IEDs found along dirt and secondary roads in and around the area of Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, and San Fernando. The devices are increasingly being manufactured and used by criminal organizations in the region. An IED destroyed a Mexican government official’s vehicle in Rio Bravo “and injured its occupant” on Jan. 23, the U.S. Embassy said. As a precaution, U.S. government employees have been ordered to avoid all travel in and around Reynosa and Rio Bravo outside daylight hours and to avoid dirt roads throughout Tamaulipas. The State Department issued a level 4 Travel Advisory for Tamaulipas: “Do Not Travel Due to Crime and Kidnapping.” Officials advise people to plan travel during daylight hours, monitor local media for updates, be aware of their surroundings and notify friends and family of their safety.
Texas Ag U.S. Army KRGV.Com U.S. Embassy State Department Ramiro Céspedes Sid Miller Horacio Lopez Peña Antonio Céspedes Saldierna Texas Agriculture Commissioner Ninfa Griselda Ortega Ortega U.S. Tamaulipas Texas U.S.-Mexico Brownsville San Fernando Santa Rita Iraq Afghanistan Rio Bravo Reynosa Valle Hermoso Lower Rio Grande Valley Mexico Do Not Travel Due To Crime And Kidnapping
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