While Mexican officials claim criminal activity is under control, 21 victims were rescued from cartel captivity, including children forced to witness torture and women held for months in a region where U.S.-designated terrorists operate freely.
At a Glance
- 21 individuals, including men, women, and minors, were rescued after being abducted by suspected Gulf Cartel members in Tamaulipas, Mexico
- Some victims had been held captive for months, reportedly for forced recruitment into cartel operations
- Mexican authorities remain suspiciously quiet about details despite clear evidence of ongoing cartel control
- The region has seen increasing forced disappearances and clandestine graves despite official claims of stability
- U.S. border policies may be contributing to migrant vulnerability to cartel violence
Mexican Authorities Downplay Major Cartel Kidnapping Operation
While the Biden administration keeps convincing Americans that the southern border is secure, a disturbing rescue operation in Mexico tells a completely different story. Authorities in Tamaulipas, Mexico recently freed 21 kidnapping victims from cartel captivity after a shootout with suspected Gulf Cartel gunmen near Reynosa. Yet instead of sounding alarms about the terrorist organization operating with impunity along our border, Mexican officials are suspiciously tight-lipped about what actually happened. The rescued group included 17 men, two women, and two minors – a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy – many of whom required immediate medical attention after enduring captivity for months.
The victims originated from various Mexican states including Tamaulipas, Guerrero, Veracruz, Chiapas, and Jalisco, indicating a widespread kidnapping operation. According to activist group “Love For The Disappeared,” these individuals were being forcibly conscripted into cartel operations. Yet officials refuse to identify which criminal organization was responsible, despite the fact that the area is known to be controlled by the Metros faction of the Gulf Cartel – a group officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State.
Horrific Reality of Cartel Kidnappings: Torture and Ransom
The true horror of these cartel kidnappings is exemplified by the case of José and his 3-year-old son, who were abducted in Reynosa after being turned back at the U.S. border. In a scene straight out of a nightmare, José was tortured while his toddler son was forced to watch. “Tell the boy to shut up. Make him shut up,” one kidnapper ordered as the child witnessed his father’s agony. Meanwhile, José’s wife Cindy was forced to negotiate a ransom from her home in New Jersey, listening helplessly to her husband’s torture over the phone as captors demanded $3,000 for his release.
“I will do everything to get it. But don’t let them hurt him. Take care of the child,” Cindy pleaded with the kidnappers, while working at a bakery in Elizabeth, N.J. to gather the ransom money.
The Border Policy Fueling Cartel Violence
What American politicians refuse to acknowledge is how U.S. border policies directly contribute to this barbaric cycle of violence. When migrants are turned back at the border without protection, they’re effectively delivered into the hands of waiting cartels who view them as commodities to be exploited. The recent rescue in Reynosa highlights the dark consequences of pretending the border region is under control while terrorist organizations designated by our own government operate with impunity just across the invisible line.
“Authorities in the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas remain tight-lipped about the recent rescue of 21 victims who had been abducted by cartel gunmen and were apparently in the process of being conscripted into the criminal organization.” sources report.
Despite official claims that crime is decreasing in the region, Reynosa has experienced an alarming rise in forced disappearances and the discovery of clandestine mass graves. “Activists revealed to Breitbart Texas that the victims had been taken over time, with some having been in captivity for several months,” according to investigative reporting that exposes the government’s misleading narrative. This raises the uncomfortable question: how many more victims remain undiscovered while officials pretend everything is under control?
Terrorist Organizations Operating Freely on America’s Doorstep
Perhaps most disturbing is that these aren’t just random criminals – we’re talking about designated terrorist organizations conducting operations within walking distance of American soil. “The city of Reynosa is currently controlled by the Metros faction of the Gulf Cartel, a group designated by the U.S. Department of State as a foreign terrorist organization.” sources report.
If a Taliban faction were operating just across the Canadian border, kidnapping people and forcing them into service, we’d have troops deployed within hours. But when Mexican cartels do exactly that, our government officials and media prefer to discuss anything but the burning reality of a border region descending into terrorist-controlled chaos. As cartels expand their forced recruitment operations, increase their territory, and strengthen their grasp on the border region, both Mexican and American authorities seem determined to look the other way while innocent lives are destroyed.
