OAN Staff Blake Wolf
2:16 PM – Tuesday, February 25, 2025
A U.S. citizen and Texas rancher based near the border were reportedly killed earlier this month by a “cartel IED,” according to the Texas Department of Agriculture — which announced the news on Tuesday.
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“An improvised explosive device (IED) attack is the use of a ‘homemade’ bomb and/or destructive device to destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract. IEDs are used by criminals, vandals, terrorists, suicide bombers, and insur- gents,” according to Homeland Security.
74-year-old rancher Antonio Céspedes Saldierna and U.S. citizen Horacio Lopez Peña were killed in Tamaulipas, Mexico, just south of Brownsville, Texas.
Additionally, Lopez’s wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, was also injured in the blast.
The explosive device reportedly detonated while Saldierna was driving through his ranch, according to KRGV Channel 5 News.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued a statement regarding the “cartel violence near the Texas-Mexico border” on Tuesday.
“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). This shocking act of violence highlights the growing threat posed by cartel activity along our southern border,” Miller wrote.
“I urge all Texas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers who travel to Mexico or operate near the border to exercise extreme caution. 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,” the statement continued.
“I encourage everyone in the agricultural industry to stay vigilant, remain aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. 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.”
Additionally, the New York Post spoke with Saldierna’s son, Ramiro Céspedes, a U.S. Army veteran previously injured by an IED explosion during 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 stated.
The incident follows after U.S. Border Patrol agents engaged in a shootout with suspected Mexican cartel members near the Rio Grande river at the end of January.
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