Mexican Cartel Gunmen Attack U.S. Consulate Building near Texas

Teams of gunmen attacked a U.S. consular building, a Mexican military base, and other buildings in a border city near Texas following the rumored arrest of a leader with the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) faction of Los Zetas Cartel.

The violence began late Sunday night in Nuevo Laredo when gunmen took to the streets and fired shots at the local U.S. Consulate building. The gunmen also attacked a Mexican military building and set up blockades along busy avenues. For those blockades, the gunmen parked and torched stolen tractor-trailers and buses.

While Mexico’s federal government has not revealed any official information about the violence, law enforcement sources tell Breitbart Texas the actions were a response to a military operation targeting the cartel’s leadership. Known as “El Huevo or the Egg,” Juan Gerardo Trevino is the current boss of the CDN-Los Zetas in Nuevo Laredo and is the nephew of the jailed kingpin Miguel Angel “Z-40” Trevino.

In response to the attack and shootouts throughout the city, the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo sent out social media alerts telling people nearby to shelter in place.

In a similar fashion, Nuevo Laredo Mayor Carmen Lilia Canturosas released messages warning the public to be careful of the blockades.

Residents recorded the sound of firefights throughout the city as cartel gunmen carried out attacks against military forces.

The CDN hold Nuevo Laredo under an iron grip with extreme influence over local politicians and news outlets. They are responsible for hundreds of kidnappings along the highway connecting Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey. Additionally, the criminal organization uses mass graves and incineration sites to dispose of victims. The cartel also wages fierce turf wars in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon to take control of new smuggling and distribution territories.

UPDATE

Mexico’s federal government confirmed on Monday the arrest of Jesus Gerardo “El Huevo” Trevino during a raid by military and federal authorities. Trevino had two firearms, the statement from Mexico’s government revealed.

The leader of the CDN-Los Zetas had three outstanding warrants: one from Tamaulipas for extortion and organized criminal activity; one from Coahuila for murder and terrorism; and, a federal one requesting his extradition to the U.S. for drug trafficking.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.

COMMENTS