• VIOLENCE: The border city of Nuevo Laredo (pop. 399,000) experienced a night of violence on Tuesday with gun battles and blockades reported all across town in what authorities reported as attacks by organized crime groups on law enforcement forces.
• KEY: Just south of the Texas border on the western tip of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Laredo is the largest truck crossing point into the US from Mexico with 2.3 million northbound trucks in 2018; Tuesday’s events follows two similar violent nights last week.
• DEAD: Local authorities confirmed that during the violent clashes of last week in Nuevo Laredo at least 7 civilians, 1 soldier died and 3 other persons were injured; videos in social media showed families trying to protect themselves as a shooting reached a shopping mall.
• CURFEW: On Saturday, the US Consulate in Nuevo Laredo issued a dire travel warning advising its employees to “shelter in place” and imposing a nighttime curfew. The Consulate also warned US citizens to avoid public places. These restrictions were lifted Sunday.
