ARMOR

Video taken facing North from Nuevo Progresso Mexico
As the camera casually scans across the intersection that is immediately before the international bridge that crosses the Rio Grande River into the USA, note several things:
Two sandbagged and camo netted guard posts complete with assault rifle armed soldiers that stay out of sight when they periodicly rotate in and out of the posts.
The camo painted armored car that is parked in the pursue or block position in the intersection, constantly manned by rotating three man crew.
The white pickup on the far side of the intersection that has been stopped and is being searched by a Mexican Army team, even though it has already cleared the port of entry by two other Mexican Law Enforcement Agencys. A couple of things come to mind about observing this operation.
a. The Mexican Army is actively taking the war on drugs to the cartel in this area of the border.
b. The Mexican Army is striving to hurt the cartel any way it can. Because the incoming searches into Mexico are not looking for drugs, but cash that is returning from the USA to the Mexican drug cartel.
So, was it a scary thing, seeing such a powerful armed presence in the streets of Nuevo Progresso ? No, not at all. In fact it was quite the opposite, a quietly reassuing thing to know that some of our neighbors to the South will assume great personal risk, to simply do what is right.

It appeared that a Mexican Army Captian was in charge there at our last visit and he seemed to be insuring that the soldiers exibited the utmost in courtesy and professionalism. Thanks to the Mexican Army for doing the right thing in difficult times.

Click on each photo to get a better view and details of the armored car, soldiers and weapons.