Ernesto Cuitláhuac Vázquez Reyna, delegate of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) in Tamaulipas since December 2019, was murdered on Monday, August 4, 2025 in Reynosa.
The attack included the throwing of a grenade at his official unit, followed by gunshots and explosion of the vehicle; he subsequently attempted to escape, but was shot by the assailants.
The attack on Ernesto Cuitláhuac Vázquez Reyna
The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. local time on Miguel Hidalgo Boulevard, near the Las Quintas subdivision and in the middle of rush hour.
Vázquez Reyna was driving a black Cadillac Escalade pickup truck, apparently without formal escorts.
Hitmen in a white van without license plates threw a grenade at his vehicle, causing a rapid conflagration. Although he managed to get out of the burning car, the attackers fatally wounded him at close range.
Videos posted on networks show how they tried to rescue him while the vehicle was burning; a man dragged him on the asphalt to get him away from the fire -although he no longer had vital signs- preventing his body from remaining inside the car.
Possible motives and criminal context
Preliminary investigations link the attack to his participation in operations against huachicoleo in Reynosa.
Just a week earlier he had overseen the seizure of approximately 1.8 million liters of stolen fuel, trucks, pumps and containers as part of a federal operation.
Authorities suspect Gulf Cartel involvement, given the level of violence and symbols of retaliation against federal officials.
So far, no arrests have been made and no criminal groups have claimed responsibility. The state and federal prosecutors have already initiated coordination to clarify the case.
Institutional reactions
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, from the National Palace, informed that the federal Security Cabinet has been in contact from the first moment with the Tamaulipas Prosecutor’s Office and the FGR to ensure an effective investigation.
For his part, Governor Américo Villarreal condemned the crime and declared his willingness to collaborate with federal agencies, expressing solidarity with the family of Vázquez Reyna.
Originally from a discreet profile, Vázquez Reyna took over first as a person in charge of office and then as the incumbent delegate in December 2019.
Since then, he has distinguished himself by leading investigations against high-impact federal crimes, as well as acting as a liaison between federal, state and municipal agencies.
La violencia en el estado de Tamaulipas no para y la población está alarmada y cansada por la cantidad de ataques y asesinatos por parte del crimen organizado
Vázquez Reyna’s professional trajectory
Buzzy
En su encargo, la FGR en Tamaulipas logró cientos de vinculaciones a proceso, decomisos significativos y sentencias históricas contra delitos como secuestro y posesión de armas.
El delegado subrayaba constantemente el compromiso institucional con la persecución del crimen organizado.
Para la comunidad hispana en EE. UU., este atentado conecta directamente con la violencia política en México, especialmente en zonas estratégicas de frontera.
Además, subraya la vulnerabilidad de altos funcionarios federales en una región marcada por el robo de combustible y el poder de cárteles.
La magnitud del ataque recuerda los riesgos inherentes a la función pública en contextos de criminalidad organizada.
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