When cartels shoot at the Coast Guard, it's not crime
On Sept. 26, a Coast Guard crew patrolling the Rio Grande near Garceño, in Starr County, Texas, came under gunfire from the Mexican side of the river. The crew returned fire. No Americans were hurt, according to the Coast Guard, but the message was unmistakable.
TL;DR
- A U.S. Coast Guard crew was fired upon from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, prompting a response and highlighting ongoing border security issues.
- The incident is cited as evidence that major cartels, like the Gulf Cartel, should be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, a designation made in February 2025.
- The U.S. has provided Mexico with tools and encouragement to combat cartels, with some progress made, but key challenges, particularly concerning political figures linked to cartels, remain.
- Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum denied evidence of cartel gunfire and blamed U.S. drug demand and gun flow, while also ordering coordinated patrols.
- The article suggests leveraging U.S. trade power, given Mexico's reliance on U.S. exports, to secure verifiable commitments on cartel dismantling, extraditions, and border security in future trade agreements.