A Brownsville, Texas rancher who worked on both sides of the border was killed by what U.S. officials suspect to be cartel improvised explosive devices (IED).
The rancher, identified as Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, 74, was driving with his wife Ninfa Griselda Ortega and Horacio Lopez Peña in his Matamoros, Tamaulipas ranch when their vehicle hit an explosive device, causing it to detonate, per KRGV.
A Texas border rancher was killed near the border by a suspected cartel IED earlier this month, the Texas Department of Agriculture told The Post Tuesday — as officials issued an urgent safety warning for the Rio Grande Valley.
— Simply_Stranger (@AngelsBokenHalo) February 25, 2025
Rancher Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, 74, who worked… pic.twitter.com/xbJBGrfIAx
Céspedes Saldierna's son, Ramiro Céspedes, labeled the incident as a "terrorist attack." Ramiro, a US Army veteran, recalled being injured by a similar explosive device during a deployment.
"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," Ramiro told the New York Post.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued a safety warning for the Rio Grande Valley following what he described as "a tragic and alarming incident."
"This shocking act of violence highlights the growing threat posed by cartel activity along our southern border, he wrote. "I urge all Texas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers who travel to Mexico or operate near the border to exercise extreme caution."
Miller described the Lower Rio Grande Valley as a crucial part of Texas agriculture. "We cannot overlook the rising violence that threatens not only lives but also the security of our farms, ranches, and rural communities," he added.
The commissioner also advised border agriculture workers to avoid "cartel-controlled regions," a recommendation that may be impractical for ranchers who own land on the Mexican side of the border. Additionally, he suggested avoiding dirt roads, which serve as the primary routes within most ranches, making compliance with this guidance challenging for those operating in rural areas.
The Latin Times reached out to a Rio Grande Valley rancher who, like Céspedes Saldierna, manages lands on both sides of the border. The rancher explained, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter freely, that cartels sometimes use rural properties without the owner's consent, which ultimately led him to abandon or delegate his lands in Mexico.
Earlier this month, another rancher was killed by members of a criminal group in Tamaulipas. Jose De La Luz Martinez Ramirez, 81, was traveling to Reynosa to pay his taxes when he was kidnapped. His dead body was found two days later. A border official described him as "another victim of crime in the region."
The Trump administration has officially designated eight transnational criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations—including six major Mexican cartels.
While the administration argues that the designation would provide additional resources to combat these criminal groups, organized crime experts question its effectiveness.
A security expert recently told Border Report that the move could have unintended consequences, potentially escalating violence and making American citizens targets for cartel retaliation.
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