Mexico deploys naval troops after U.S. sends troops to border following drug cartel shootings

The Mexican Navy announced the deployment of nearly 160 ground troops recently after gunmen from the terrorist group Gulf Cartel opened fire on a U.S. Coast Guard vessel patrolling the waters of the Rio Grande.

According to Breitbart Texas, the shooting occurred in late September when gunmen from the drug cartel-controlled city of Miguel Aleman opened fire on U.S. law enforcement. Miguel Aleman is a well-known corridor for the Gulf Cartel and has long been used for drug and human smuggling operations. The Gulf Cartel still controls the region despite multiple attempts by rival groups to take control of the area in the past. The Mexican government has been largely unable to restore security to the region.

Responding to attacks on U.S. law enforcement agencies and Mexico’s incompetence or complicity, the U.S. government announced the deployment of hundreds of troops aimed at shutting down long-standing drug corridors. In an effort to save face, the Mexican Navy issued a statement claiming it was deploying naval infantry as part of a joint response.

The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mexican Navy issued a joint statement detailing plans to send 159 ground troops, 11 vehicles and two drones to the Mexican side of Tamaulipas. “Relations between the two countries are guided by the four pillars of the Mexican government’s binational policy: respect for sovereignty, shared responsibilities, mutual trust and non-subordinate cooperation,” a Mexican official said.

In a U.S. Department of War statement obtained by Breitbart Texas on September 2, officials stated:

Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB) today announced Operation Unified Resolve, an ongoing effort to rapidly augment U.S. military and federal partners operating in the Rio Grande Valley as part of Operation Zealous Vanguard.

Hundreds of Joint Task Force U.S. service members and associated equipment are redeploying to the Rio Grande Valley this week to support operations to strengthen border security operations, improve the joint force’s ability to respond to threats, and support federal law enforcement partners operating along the Rio Grande River.

Operation Unified Resolve will increase patrol capabilities, strengthen critical areas, provide additional surveillance and detection capabilities, and enhance security at critical locations in support of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The operation is part of the ongoing Operation Zealous Vanguard, through which Joint Task Force Southern Border continues to provide military capabilities to support the protection of U.S. sovereignty along the southern border.

Despite comments from the Mexican government, the Gulf Cartel continues to operate with near-total impunity along the Tamaulipas border. As Breitbart Texas has consistently reported, there have been multiple cross-border shootings by Miguel Aleman, with gunmen attacking U.S. authorities in response. Strength of law enforcement. The impunity with which terrorist groups are able to transport gunmen within areas they control contrasts with ongoing claims by Mexican state and federal officials to increase security and law enforcement operations.