Mexico’s President claimed that public safety in the border state of Tamaulipas is improving, even as his police officers are constantly forced to seek cover during frequent cartel attacks.
A video taken by Tamaulipas state police officers near the northern city of Miguel Aleman captured the moment when they came under fire from cartel gunmen hiding in a brushy area. The video captured the moment when the surprised officers were forced to seek cover behind their vehicles during the shootout.
The sound of machinegun fire and ricocheting bullets can be heard as the officers stay behind cover while fighting for their lives. Authorities ultimately staved off the attack by gunmen believed to be from the Gulf Cartel.
Just a few hours after that attack, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claimed during his morning news conference that public safety in Tamaulipas was improving. He praised the current Governor Americo Villarreal, whose administration has been linked to the Gulf Cartel.
“I perceive that it’s better in security matters in Tamaulipas,” Lopez Obrador said.
The president pointed to crime statistics that showed a decrease in murders in comparison to other states. However, the figures presented by Lopez Obrador do not take into account the number of victims who have been kidnapped and killed by cartel gunmen only to have their bodies disposed of in clandestine gravesites. The figures also do not take into account the individuals killed in near-daily cartel shootouts taking place daily in Tamaulipas.
“I think that the people in Tamaulipas know it, know it. Americo Vilalrral is an honest man, … person of good and that helps a lot (to decrease crime),” the president stated.
As Breitbart Texas reported, Villarreal had a faction of the Gulf Cartel help his campaign push voters to the polls and even had funds from fuel-theft organizations funneled into his campaign. Breitbart Texas also reported on the boom that the Gulf Cartel has had in Tamaulipas, where the criminal organization has been able to extort locals while politicians have been benefiting.
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.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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