Mexico’s Navy announced the deployment of almost 160 ground troops following a recent incident in which gunmen from the terrorist organization the Gulf Cartel fired on boats from the U.S. Coast Guard that were patrolling the waters of the Rio Grande.
As Breitbart Texas reported, the shooting took place in late September when gunmen from the cartel-controlled city of Miguel Alemán fired at U.S. law enforcement. Miguel Alemán is a well-known corridor of the Gulf Cartel used for a long time for drug and human smuggling operations. The Gulf Cartel has held on to the region despite numerous past attempts by rival organizations to take control. Mexico’s government has largely been powerless to restore security to the region.
In response to the attack on U.S. law enforcement and Mexico’s impotence or complicity, the U.S. government announced the deployment of hundreds of military troops aimed at shutting down the long-standing drug corridor. In an attempt to save face, Mexico’s Navy issued a statement claiming it was deploying naval infantrymen as part of a joint response.
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a joint statement with the Mexican Navy detailing plans to send 159 ground troops, 11 vehicles, and two drones to the Mexican side of the border in Tamaulipas. “The relationship between the two countries is guided by the four pillars of the Government of Mexico’s binational policy: respect for sovereignty, shared responsibility, mutual trust, and cooperation without subordination,” Mexican officials stated.
In a statement from the U.S. Department of War obtained by Breitbart Texas on September 2, officials stated:
Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB) today announces Operation Unified Resolve, an ongoing effort to rapidly reinforce U.S. forces and federal partners operating in the Rio Grande Valley as part of Operation Ardent Vanguard.
This week, hundreds of JTF-SB U.S. service members and associated equipment are repositioning to the Rio Grande Valley in support of the operation to strengthen border security operations, increase the joint force’s ability to respond to threats and support federal law enforcement partners operating along the Rio Grande.
Operation Unified Resolve will increase patrol capacity, reinforce key areas, provide additional monitoring and detections capabilities, and reinforce security of critical location in support of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The operation is part of the ongoing Operation Ardent Vanguard, through which Joint Task Force – Southern Border continues to provide military capabilities in support of protecting U.S. sovereignty at the Southern Border.
Despite the comments from Mexico’s government, the Gulf Cartel continues to operate with almost complete impunity throughout the border state of Tamaulipas. As Breitbart Texas has consistently reported, Miguel Alemán has had several cases of cross-border shootings, where gunmen attack U.S. authorities in response to US. Enforcement efforts. The issue that a terrorist organization is able to move teams of gunmen with impunity in their areas of control is a direct contrast to the constant claims of improved security and enforcement actions carried out by Mexican state and federal officials.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.