Mexican government officials are twisting facts in an attempt to downplay the raging cartel violence spreading throughout the border state of Tamaulipas. In the most recent incident, public officials are hiding a large-scale attack on law enforcement by cartel gunmen and the use of explosives by passing it off as a scuffle between drug gangs.
The incident took place early on Monday morning in the downtown area of Llera, Tamaulipas, where a group of Gulf Cartel gunmen clashed with state police forces. The large-scale shootout spread terror throughout the rural city, prompting school officials to cancel classes. During the clash, authorities killed one gunman, seized two cartel vehicles, and had several police cars damaged. Exclusive information obtained by Breitbart Texas points to military forces having to be sent out due to the presence of explosives in the area.
Through their official accounts, Tamaulipas state officials claimed that authorities were responding to a scuffle between armed civilians. A second post pointed to the seizure of a vehicle. In the aftermath, officials refused to release any additional information.
Breitbart Texas obtained exclusive access to communication between Mexican military forces, revealing an attack on police in Llera. One of the guards of the police building was the one who called for help. Military forces noted the presence of something listed only as “explosive material.”
Near the scene of the shootout, authorities found the body of 21-year-old Juan Diego Bocanegra Gonzalez — a cartel gunman who was wearing body armor and carrying a rifle. It remains unclear how many gunmen took part in the shootout.
The case points to an ongoing strategy by the Tamaulipas government to minimize the raging violence spreading through most of the state. As Breitbart Texas reported, top officials with the Tamaulipas government have favored particular drug cartels in exchange for campaign funds and political support.
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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