Tamaulipas

Have you ever heard of Tamaulipas? It's the Mexican state just south of Texas on the Gulf of Mexico.

Tamaulipas (Spanish pronunciation: [tamauˈlipas]) is one of the 31 states of Mexico and is located in the central-northeastern part of the Mexican federation. It borders the U.S. state of Texas to the north, the Gulf of Mexico to the east, Veracruz to the south, San Luis Potosí to the southwest, and Nuevo León to the west.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamaulipas

Why does Tamaulipas matter?

Mexican officials say they will hold state elections as planned - a message to drug cartels who are believed to be behind a gubernatorial candidate's assassination that they will not let criminals destroy the country's democracy.

Gunmen ambushed Rodolfo Torre's campaign caravan less than a week before he was expected to win the governor's race in Tamaulipas, a state torn by a turf battle between two rival drug cartels. Four other people were killed: three of the candidate's bodyguards and a state lawmaker.

President Felipe Calderon called the attack an attempt by drug gangs to sway Sunday's elections for governors and mayors in 12 states. He renewed an appeal for unity in a televised speech Tuesday, his second on Torre's assassination.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/28/1704927/report-governor-candidate-killed.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

While we're chasing our tail in Iraq and Afghanistan, and while administration after administration keeps our Mexican border open, porous and unprotected, drug gangs and terrorists are running wild on the border of Mexico and Texas.