Texas Rancher Killed by Cartel-Planted IED Near U.S.-Mexico Border

The explosive device, believed to be part of cartel turf wars, highlights escalating violence threatening border communities and agriculture.

Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, a 74-year-old Texas rancher, and Horacio Lopez Peña were killed by an IED while driving on a ranch in Tamaulipas, Mexico, near Brownsville, Texas.
The IED, suspected to have been planted by a drug cartel, also injured Lopez's wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, who remains hospitalized.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued a warning to ranchers and agricultural workers, urging vigilance and caution when operating near the border or traveling in Mexico.
Cartels have increasingly used IEDs and other violent tactics to secure territory, with officials likening the methods to those seen in conflict zones like Iraq and Afghanistan.
The incident has reignited calls for stronger measures against cartels, with U.S. officials designating several Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations and discussing potential military actions.