Mexicans Flee Gunfire in Border Clash

Gunfire during a political rally on the Mexican side of the international border touched off a stampede across the Rio Grande bridge to this Texas town Sunday, and up to four people were injured, American and Mexican officials said.

Mexican state police reported three people wounded in the violence in Piedras Negras, while Mexican municipal police reported four injuries.

A supporter of Mexico’s opposition National Action Party shot three judicial police about 3 p.m. during a party rally blocking the bridge on the Piedras Negras side, said Felipe Perez, the local judicial police commander.

Eleazar Cobos, National Action’s mayoral candidate in the disputed Dec. 2 city elections, said police rushed the crowd blocking the bridge and began shooting, and nearly 100 people ran to the Eagle Pass side of the bridge.

Piedras Negras was the scene of political violence Dec. 29 that left one man dead, at least 80 injured and the municipal complex burned. The violence was in protest over the dominant Institutional Revolutionary Party’s candidate being declared the winner in the city’s mayoral elections.