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... Antonio Cespedes Saldierna, who operated land on both sides of the border, along with Horacio Lopez Pena, were killed in the blast earlier in February in Tamaulipas, Mexico, about 80 miles south of Brownsville. Lopez's wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, was hospitalized with injuries.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller talked about the death on Tuesday at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) winter policy conference in Washington. He called the death "tragic and alarming" and warned farmers, ranchers and others who travel to Mexico or operate near the border to exercise extreme caution. He noted the Lower Rio Grande Valley is a crucial part of Texas agriculture but urged people to focus on safety in the region.

"A farmer and a couple of others were traveling the farm with this Texas resident, but he has ranch on both sides of the river," Miller said. "So, he's actually in the state of Tamaulipas, just across the river from Texas.

And he ran over an IED in Mexico. It was placed there by the cartel. So, the cartels funding has now dried up because they don't get any coyote money anymore because they're not crossing anybody anymore.

They're becoming very, very protective of their drug routes. And this is, you know, a message by them to tell everyone, you know, this is our country stay out, even if you own the land, you're not welcome here." ...