Watch: Cartel Shootout Erupts Across Rio Grande

Texas sheriffs have released footage of a shootout between rival cartel factions on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, near the Texas border.

Thermal drone footage released by the Texas Department of Public Safety shows an intense gunfight in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, less than a mile from the town of Donna, Texas.

The proximity of the gunbattle to the United States has underlined the sense of urgency and concern for U.S. border security, which has been a key issue in the 2024 presidential election.

Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson with the DPS, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, “For decades, the Gulf Cartel has maintained control of the area, but there has been an ongoing battle between factions of the Gulf Cartel over control of drug & human smuggling routes.”

The thermal videos, recorded by a DPS aircraft, shows that the shootout involved explosives and heavy firepower. In the footage, what appears to be an explosive device can be seen being thrown from one of the vehicles involved in the firefight.

Border security is an important issue for American voters ahead of November’s election. In July, Gallup polling showed that a majority of respondents supported former President Donald Trump’s signature border wall policy from 2016, with 53 percent favoring expanding the construction of walls along the U.S.-Mexico border—a rise of 13 points since 2019.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has implemented multiple policies designed to combat cartel violence and human trafficking.

Abbott is offering a $5,000 bounty for intelligence that leads to the capture of members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

On September 16, the governor signed a proclamation officially designating the gang as a foreign terrorist organization.

In response to the rising activity, he directed the DPS to launch a strike team composed of state troopers, Texas Rangers and other law enforcement units to pursue and dismantle the gang’s operations within Texas.

The moves are part of Abbott’s ongoing Operation Lone Star, which seeks to curb illegal border crossings. Abbott launched the operation in 2021, and as part of the program, Texas National Guard soldiers and law enforcement officers have been deployed to enforce tougher border security measures.

The Gulf Cartel, which Olivarez said was involved in the latest string of violence, is one of Mexico’s oldest criminal organizations. It originated in Tamaulipas in the 1930s, primarily as a smuggling group during Prohibition.

In the late 20th century, it evolved into a major player in drug trafficking.

The cartel is heavily involved in the production and distribution of drugs—including cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine—human trafficking, and extortion.

In recent years, the Gulf Cartel has faced significant fragmentation and violence due of internal power struggles and fierce rivalries—notably with Los Zetas, which began as its armed wing.

The cartel operates primarily in northeastern Mexico, but it has seen its influence wane as it battles for control and engages in internal conflict.