State police forces disappeared from view in the border city of Matamoros as convoys of Gulf Cartel gunmen began to roam the streets Monday.
A convoy of at least 17 vehicles with Gulf Cartel gunmen in tactical gear moved along some of the main avenues in the city. Even though residents saw the gunmen with rifles pointing out of the vehicles, it was able to move from the central part of the city to the west end without interference from authorities.
Law enforcement sources consulted by Breitbart Texas revealed the gunmen were heading to the poorer sections in Matamoros to deliver toys, an annual tradition.
Hours after the parade of gunmen, the Tamaulipas state government released information about police officers who had removed makeshift road spikes from city streets. Officials claimed the gunmen dropped the spikes as they tried to flee authorities.
Since Tamaulipas Governor Americo Villarreal took office on October 1, state police forces have been ordered to avoid cartel gunmen. The strategy follows President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrado’s approach, which places more focus on social programs to keep potential gunmen from a life of crime. That “Hugs not Bullets” or “Abrazos no Balazos” mindset has earned Lopez Obrador considerable criticism and allegations of favoring cartels over the public.
Since Villarreal took office, the capital of Tamaulipas has become the deadliest city in the state.
Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to Mexico City and the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León 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 various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas 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 “J.A. Espinoza” and “A.C. Del Angel” from Tamaulipas.
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