BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is urging agricultural workers who operate near the U.S.-Mexico border to stay vigilant after two people were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED). The incident follows a travel advisory from the U.S. Consulate last month due to gun violence and explosives in the area.

What You Need To Know

  • Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is urging agricultural workers in the state to exercise extreme caution after two people were killed by an improvised explosive in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas

  • One of the men killed was a rancher from Brownsville. Another man was killed and his wife was injured, according to KRGV

  • The incident comes after the U.S. Consulate in Mexico issued a travel advisory warning people of gun violence and improvised explosives in Mexico in late January

  • Miller encourages those in the agricultural industry working or traveling near the U.S.-Mexico border to avoid dirt roads and remote areas, only travel in daylight, refrain from touching unfamiliar objects and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement

Antonio Céspedes Saldierna, a 74-year-old rancher from Brownsville, was one of the victims, according to a report from KRGV.

Saldierna was driving his truck on his ranch in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, when he set off the explosive device, his son told the outlet.

Horacio Lopez Peña and his wife Ninfa Griselda Ortega were also in the vehicle when it triggered the explosive. Peña was killed and Ortega was hospitalized.

The incident comes after the U.S. Consulate in Mexico issued a travel advisory warning people of gun violence and improvised explosives on the South Texas border in late January. At the time, officials warned of IEDs being found in several cities in the state of Tamaulipas, including Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso and San Fernando.

In a news release on Tuesday, Miller said the tragedy “highlights the growing threat posed by cartel activity along our southern border.”

“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,” Miller said.

Miller encourages those in the agricultural industry working or traveling near the U.S.-Mexico border to:

  • Avoid dirt roads/remote areas
  • Refrain from touching unfamiliar objects
  • Limit travel to daylight hours
  • Stay on main roads
  • Avoid cartel-controlled regions
  • Stay aware of their surroundings
  • Report any suspicious activity to law enforcement

Stay up to date with travel advisories in Mexico here.