REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — State officials in the Mexican border state of Reynosa, Tamaulipas continue to not acknowledge the regular shootouts involving drug cartel members and at times the Mexican military that continue to plague the area just south of the Texas border.
The silence from Tamaulipas officials began shortly after August 8, the last day that they issued out news releases about shootouts or apprehensions throughout the state. However, they continue to issue out news releases about government programs, tourism, and health care programs. Since then, the state has seen various shootouts just south of the Texas border and one execution, which Mexican authorities have worked on but not acknowledged
On Friday morning, authorities in Matamoros recovered the decapitated body of a man who has not been identified in the city’s south side, a Tamaulipas law enforcement official told Breitbart Texas on condition of anonymity. State officials have yet to release any information on the case.
On Thursday, the Mexican industrial city of Reynosa saw a series of short shootouts and pursuits between the Mexican military and members of drug cartels. The shootouts led to a series of blockades as cartel members tried to slow down authorities. While Tamaulipas authorities have yet to acknowledge the shootout or give a report on casualties, citizen journalists in that city reported on the shootout in details providing up to the minute locations and pictures through social media.
On Tuesday morning, the city of Matamoros also saw its share of violence which despite the silence by the Tamaulipas government, a law enforcement official confirmed to Breitbart Texas that two gunmen had died following a rolling shootout that included military snipers having to shoot out of a helicopter to fight the gunmen. The official told Breitbart Texas that the shootout was an effort to capture a high value target but the individual managed to escape.
The incidents started with a bomb threat being called in to the Gateway International Bridge in Matamoros causing a momentary interruption of traffic between Mexico and the U.S. as authorities swept the area. While Tamaulipas authorities never acknowledged the incident, the U.S Consulate General’s Office in Matamoros issued out a warning to U.S. citizens warning them to avoid the area.
In a similar fashion, just moments later, consular officials issued a second warning about a shootout near in the city’s south central area commonly known as the San Francisco neighborhood.
Despite the downplaying of violence by Mexican officials, the U.S. Department of State re-issued a travel advisory on Friday that had already been in place warning Americans about the risks they face in Mexico particularly in the border regions. The travel advisory warns U.S. citizens about getting caught in the crossfire of shootouts, being victims of kidnappings, robbery, and extortions. In a previous version of the advisory authorities mentioned briefly the attempted kidnapping of a consular employee in Matamoros.