Another day, another shootout south of the border.  Like the ones before, many are dead, and the crime scene is not far from the U.S. border.

This is the story:

The lethal, hour-long battle broke out between security forces and suspected members of the Cartel of the Northeast in the town of Villa Union, about 40 miles south of the US border town of Eagle Pass, Texas.

Twenty-five vehicles, four with high calibers [sic] guns, numerous long range guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition were also confiscated, according to the statement.

Images from the state government showed a local municipal building and police vehicle riddled with bullet holes.

It was quite a battle, from the scene captured by phone and photos.

What does it mean to us and Mexicans?

For us, it means that the violence in Mexico is real and too close to U.S. border towns.  Why is it so close?  The answer is that cartels operate in the north of Mexico because they service their business in the U.S.  In other words, we consume, and they cash in!

For Mexicans, the situation is more difficult.  It is no longer crazy to say sections of Mexico, especially the sleepy towns in the north, are run by cartels.  They have the weapons to intimidate the police and the cash to blackmail the politicians.

So what happens next?  We will see more violence.  Declaring that cartels are terrorist organizations gives President Trump a few more options, but I'm not sure how that changes the situation.

For years, I've loved those Mexican towns that take you back to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.  The towns are still there, but they are not sleepy or peaceful anymore.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.