Texas rancher killed after driving over explosive device in Mexico, officials say
A train enters Mexico from the United States over the West Rail Bridge in Brownsville, Texas. Photographer: Cheney Orr/Bloomberg via Getty Images
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Texas officials said a 74-year-old rancher was killed after driving over an improvised explosive device believed to be planted by a drug cartel.
What we know:
Antonio Cespedea Saldierna was a rancher from Brownsville, Texas who ranched on both sides of the border, the Texas Agriculture Commission said.
He was driving in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas when he ran over the device. The agency said the blast also killed Horacio Lopez Pena and injured Lopez's wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega.
What we don't know:
The agriculture commission said Ortega was hospitalized with injuries from the explosion, but her condition is unknown.
What they're saying:
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Monday urged ranchers that travel across the border or work near it to use caution.
"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," Miller said.
Miller went on to say the area was crucial to the state's agriculture.
"I encourage everyone in the agricultural industry to stay vigilant, remain aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement," Miller said. "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."
Travel warnings issued by the U.S. and Mexico
Late last month, the state of Tamaulipas issued a warning to residents not to touch or move unknown objects found on the ground citing the violence between cartels.
The U.S. Embassy also issued a warning in late January.
"The U.S. Consulate is aware of increasingly frequent gun battles occurring in and around Reynosa in the late night and early morning hours," the Consulate said. "Separately, the state of Tamaulipas has issued a warning to avoid moving or touching improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which have been found in and around the area of Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, and San Fernando along dirt and secondary roads. IEDs are being increasingly manufactured and used by criminal organizations in this region."
Officials said a cartel IED destroyed a government water truck on Jan. 23, 2025, injuring the driver.
The U.S. Department of State lists Tamaulilpas on its "Do Not Travel List" for high crime and kidnapping.
The Source: Information about the victims and the explosion comes from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Travel advisories to Tamaulipas come from information on the U.S. State Department's website and from the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Mexico. The warning about IEDs was sent by the state of Tamaulipas on Facebook.