Texas Rancher Killed in Border IED Attack by Cartel.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued a statement on Tuesday confirming that rancher Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, 74, was killed when the truck he was driving struck an improvised explosive device (IED) in Brownsville, Texas. The explosive device, reportedly planted by cartel members, also took the life of Horacio Lopez Pena. Lopez’s wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, sustained severe injuries and is hospitalized.

In the statement, Miller called for increased vigilance among Texas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers, especially those operating near the border or traveling to Mexico. He advised avoiding dirt roads, remaining on main roads, traveling during daylight, and steering clear of known cartel-controlled areas.

The tragedy draws attention to the escalating violence at the border, which has disrupted not only individual lives but also the security of Texas’s agriculture industry. Miller stressed the importance of the Lower Rio Grande Valley to the state’s agricultural output and reiterated the need for heightened security measures.