McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A former police chief for the South Texas border town of Rio Bravo died a day before Tuesday’s primary elections in Corpus Christi where he was running for a county seat.
Rene Cervantes was a Republican candidate for Nueces County Precinct 3 Commissioner, and died March 4 of colon cancer, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported.
According to election results from Nueces County, Cervantes ended up with over a third of the votes in the March 5 Republican primary — 38.5%, or 1,296 votes. Larry Cantu Jr., won the GOP nomination for the seat with 61.47% or 2,068 votes.
Cervantes had been the chief of police for Rio Bravo, near Laredo, but he left his post after he filed a lawsuit in 2017 alleging that then-City Administrator Miguel Berry ordered him “to shoot the children of illegal immigrants (he) and his officers might arrest so it would be easier to send the parents back to Mexico,” according to the Laredo Morning Times.
Rio Bravo is a town of fewer than 5,000, across the Rio Grande from San Isidro, Tamaulipas.
In February 2023, local residents mounted a campaign to stop a state-funded section of border wall that was planned to dissect the town as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star border security initiative.
Cervantes moved to Corpus Christi after he left the Rio Bravo force and ran unsuccessfully for a city council seat in 2022.
Several media agencies reported that Cervantes had been in hospice care for over a month before he died.
He filed to run on the primary ballot on the first day of candidate filings, on Nov. 11, and many residents were unaware he was ill until informed of his death.
“Very sad to hear about the loss of Rene Cervantes a Candidate for County Commissioner PCT 3. Our prayers are with his family during this tragic time. We have great respect for this willingness to serve his community now may he rest in peace,” the Nueces County Republican Party posted on its Facebook page.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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