The son of a Texas rancher is speaking out after his father was killed by an improvised explosive device planted by cartels at his ranch in Mexico, near Brownsville, Texas.
U.S. Army veteran Ramiro Céspedes told "Fox & Friends" on Thursday that the attack was an act of terrorism, and the cartels are using "the same tactics that the terrorist groups were using in Iraq."
"I believe the cartels have more sophisticated equipment than the Mexican army has," he said. "Also, the training. They need some training on how to combat terrorism."
Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, 74, a rancher who worked both sides of the southern border, was killed when an IED detonated as he drove over it on his Mexican property last month. According to KHOU-TV in Houston, the incident occurred in the Santa Rita area of San Fernando, Tamaulipas state. San Fernando is approximately 90 miles south of Brownsville.
Newsweek reported Wednesday that another man in the vehicle, identified as Horacio Lopez Peña, was killed in the incident, while Peña's wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, was hospitalized with injuries.
Ramiro Céspedes, who reportedly served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, was wounded by an explosive device while deployed and was awarded a Purple Heart.
He told "Fox & Friends" he never thought his father would encounter the same tactics he faced while serving in the Middle East.
"The people get used to these kinds of [cartel] actions, but the IEDs and drones, that's something new," Céspedes said.
In a statement earlier this week, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller urged the state's farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers who travel to Mexico or work near the border "to exercise extreme caution."
"The Lower Rio Grande Valley is a crucial part of Texas agriculture, and the safety of our agricultural community is of utmost importance," Miller said. "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."
The Tamaulipas government recently issued warnings about explosive devices on rural roads, and a Tamaulipas State Police spokesperson told KRGT-TV in south Texas that the IEDs are planted by organized crime outfits to keep rival organizations out of territory they've claimed as their own.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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