Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities.  The writers would face certain death at the hands of the Gulf Cartel if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by Matamoros’ “JA Espinoza.”

MATAMOROS, Tamaulipas — In a series of events that sound out of place in this border city that has gained notoriety for its violence, corruption and lack of governability, a group of suspected members of the Gulf Cartel tried to bribe authorities in an attempt to avoid capture — they failed.

The mere fact that Tamaulipas authorities refused a bribe is noteworthy since corruption has become commonplace in this border state at all levels.

Breitbart Texas recently reported that U.S. federal agencies primarily the DEA and Homeland Security Investigations are hunting for Eugenio Hernandez Flores and Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba, two former Tamaulipas governors whom they consider fugitives.

While Hernandez is wanted on money laundering charges, Yarrington is wanted not only on money laundering charges but also drug trafficking. Authorities are also searching for former Matamoros mayor Erick Silva Santo who is wanted on money laundering charges.

The attempted bribe by the members of the Gulf Cartel took place this week when a taskforce made up of military forces and state forces known as Fuerza Tamaulipas arrested a group of gunmen following a raid where they seized drugs, cash, weapons and vehicles information released by the Tamaulipas government revealed.

During the raid at a location in the Valle Alto neighborhood, authorities arrested Ricardo Beltran Flores, Jesus Ortega, Carlos Munoz Egurrola and Aurelio Lira Lopez. Ortega has a previous criminal history and had taken part in a 2010 prison escape from the Matamoros jail. Authorities later discovered that Ortega was not his name and it is in fact Angel Ibarra Garduno.

Moments after the arrest, the gunmen tried to bribe authorities with 169,190 but were turned down as authorities seized the cash, the cars, 256 marijuana packages, weapons and cell phones.

The vehicles included a stolen Nissan Altima, a Chevrolet Tahoe without license plates, a taxi without license places, and a Renault Duster.