The death of a Texas rancher south of Brownsville, Texas, has spurred a warning from Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller that ranchers in and around the Rio Grande Valley are at risk.
“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),” Miller said in a post on the Texas Department of Agriculture website.
“This shocking act of violence highlights the growing threat posed by cartel activity along our southern border,” Miller said.
Noting that the regional agribusiness community covers both sides of the border, Miller said everyone should be on alert at all times, regardless of where they are.
Texas rancher killed by suspected cartel IED on Mexican border as authorities warn of ‘growing threat’ https://t.co/1Px4kzS6Op pic.twitter.com/oQ9hYU4U12
— New York Post (@nypost) February 25, 2025
“I urge all Texas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers who travel to Mexico or operate near the border to exercise extreme caution,” he said.
“The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is a crucial part of Texas agriculture, and the safety of our 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.
Miller called on “everyone in the agricultural industry to stay vigilant, remain aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
Act of War: Texas Rancher Murdered by Cartels!
IED kills Texan who operated a ranch near U.S.-Mexico border pic.twitter.com/Hr0YK0a1Lk— Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) February 25, 2025
“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,” he said.
The incident to which Miller referred took place earlier this month when Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, 74, of Brownsville, triggered an IED while driving a truck on his ranch in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico, according to KFDM-TV.
Horacio Lopez Peña and his wife Ninfa Griselda Ortega were also in the vehicle. Peña died; Ortega was hospitalized.
“I’m sad, I’m confused, I’m in shock,” Ramiro Céspedes, the son of Céspedes Saldierna, said, according to KRGV-TV.
NEW: Texas border rancher k*lled by a suspected cartel IED at the Southern Border, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.
74-year-old Rancher Antonio Céspedes Saldierna was driving on his ranch when the explosive detonated.
According to the New York Post, Saldierna… pic.twitter.com/PZyY8isbgJ
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 25, 2025
Céspedes is an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and was injured in an IED blast during one of his deployments.
“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,” he said.
Mexican police said IEDs are used by cartels to keep rivals off of their land.
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