Floating Corpse Greets Congressional Delegation at Mexican Border

A body believed to be that of a Honduran national killed by Mexican drug cartel violence was seen floating in the Rio Grande river as a congressional delegation focused on border security matters visited the Texas/Mexico border.

Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ) spoke with the Randolph Reporter and is quoted as having said: “What impressed me in a tragic, negative way was seeing a dead body in the Rio Grande River. Authorities told us it was probably related to drug trafficking.”

Congressman Lance also revealed he and the others from Congress wore bullet-proof vests and traveled the Rio Grande River in armored boats, as U.S. law enforcement routinely are targeted by gunman as they patrol the river.

This is perhaps the most concerning admission regarding the safety of the border area, especially considering recent exclusive reporting from Breitbart News showing the ease of crossing the river border. Another Breitbart exclusive showed how anyone from Mexico could cross the river, walk through the unfinished border wall, and enter a U.S. neighborhood in a matter of minutes with no interference from U.S. authorities.

Another concerning issue illuminated by the floating corpse is Congressman Lance’s assertion that authorities identified the victim as likely killed in the course of cartel drug trafficking activity. Though the death was likely caused by a Mexican cartel, it is likely the body belonged to someone attempting to illegally cross into the United States who may not have been involved in the drug trade at all. The immediate assumption by U.S. authorities denotes a lack of understanding of the enemies our nation faces.

Hondurans, often much poorer than Mexicans, usually only show up in the heavily cartel controlled U.S./Mexico border region to enter the U.S., not compete for territory with better armed Mexican cartels. A U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime 2012 report reveals most of the human smuggling into the U.S. is controlled by Mexican cartels and lessor street gangs such as MS-13. The cartels and gangs have turned to human trafficking for profits as cocaine profits have decreased, making it likely the dead Honduran was actually a victim of the Mexican cartels modern day slave trade, where would-be migrant workers are sold by cartels as forced labor or forced sex trade slaves.