Pubdate: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 Source: Brownsville Herald, The (TX) Copyright: 2010 The Brownsville Herald Contact: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/sections/contact/ Website: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1402 US LAW ENFORCEMENT MONITORING MEXICAN VIOLENCE As drug violence continues in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, Brownsville law enforcement officials continue their work to prevent any spillover of the violence into the U.S. and to ensure a safe Charro Days. However, Brownsville Police Department Chief Carlos Garcia urged border residents to exercise prudence when visiting Mexico. "It is sad but, if you don't have any business in Mexico, it's best not to go," Garcia said. "We continue to monitor the situation and are prepared to act accordingly." The police chief said his department continues to monitor violence in Mexico and is in constant communications with other law enforcement agencies to coordinate a response if needed. The police department already has increased manpower on the streets, but that is attributed to the ongoing Charro Days festivities, where officials expect upward of 50,000 revelers to attend parades and other festivities. The U.S. Department of State recently reissued a travel alert, warning the public that criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in vehicles in border areas, including Nuevo Laredo, Matamoros, and Tijuana. "Travelers on the highways between Monterrey and other parts of Mexico to the United States (notably through Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros) have been targeted for robbery and violence and have also inadvertently been caught in incidents of gunfire between criminals and Mexican law enforcement. Such incidents are more likely to occur at night but may occur at any time," the alert states. The alert is dated from Feb. 22 to Aug. 20. In the most recent confrontation between purported drug traffickers and military forces on Thursday morning, the Mexican Army reported killing four "attackers" while seizing weapons and vehicles, said the Mexican Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) in a written statement. The shootout took place at approximately 9:20 a.m. on State Highway 99 just south of Matamoros, SEDENA said. The highway connects Matamoros and Valle Hermoso. As soldiers traveled along the highway, the occupants of three SUVs attacked them, forcing them to fight back and kill the four occupants of one vehicle, SEDENA said. As a result of the gun battle, soldiers seized a late-model Cadillac Escalade, four assault rifles, more than 700 rounds of ammunition, and 27 ammunition clips. The firefight south of Matamoros is the most recent in an upsurge of gun-battles throughout the state. Reports of violence stretch from Ciudad Mier just across from eastern Zapata County to Matamoros, including several days of violence in Valle Hermoso a few miles south of the free trade bridge at Los Indios. At least eight gun battles have also been reported in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas. Some unconfirmed reports state that the fighting is taking place between members of the Gulf Cartel and rogue members of the Zetas, the former armed guard of the cartel. The Zetas began as rapid response military group trained to fight cartels but defected to join the ranks of the Gulf Cartel as enforcers, primarily focusing on the kidnapping and execution of rival drug traffickers, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration documents show. After the capture of famed drug lord Oziel Cardenas, the Zetas developed into a major drug trafficking organization working loosely with the Gulf Cartel in a partnership called "La Compania," jointly deciding the logistical issues of the drug trade. However, according Mexican Law enforcement officials, who asked not to be named for safety issues, the recent gun battles are the results of an internal struggle between the two organizations fighting for control of the border region. According to an education official in Ciudad Victoria, who asked his name not be released fearing for his safety, said that in the recent gun battles, some gunmen have barricaded themselves in schools. "This is happening statewide. My friends told me it happened in Valle Hermoso, Matamoros, and Reynosa," he said. "They say that if they are overwhelmed, the narcos take over a school until they can get backup or find a way to leave." - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D