Security Industry Businessman Remains Missing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Two weeks ago, businessman Marco Antonio Mariño Leal was reported missing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas. He was last seen around 3:00 PM, Thursday, the 9th of October while visiting a security business he owns in Reynosa. He remains missing, with no updates from government on the case.

Mariño Leal is the Vice President of La Federación de Cámaras de Comercio (Fecanaco), a business organization in Tamaulipas state. Mariño Leal owns companies related to corporate security and surveillance. Mariño Leal was appointed VP of Fecanaco after the prior VP, Julio Almanza Armas, was assassinated in July 2024. Julio César Almanza Armas was an outspoken advocate of the business sector in northern Mexico, denouncing insecurity.

The week of his disappearance, the state attorney General, Irving Barrios Mojica, stated that the case is not yet considered a kidnapping, but a missing persons case.

The case is notable for Mariño Leal's involvement in the security sector, which organized crime has an interest in. Over the last few years, criminal groups have aimed to adopt private sector and government surveillance measures for their own purposes. 

Context

Reynosa is one of the most violent cities in Mexico. The vast majority of crime is never reported. Business extortion rates and drug related killings are on the rise. Organized crime groups who relied on human smuggling and trafficking prior to the Trump admins increased border focus are now forced to focus on business extortion and retail drug sales. 

Reynosa has always been violent, as its geography makes it a crucial control point for border access. In recent years, residents feel that the security situation is further deteriorating. The percentage of the population who consider Reynosa to be unsafe increased from 74.1% to 81.1% between March and June 2025. 

Sources: Excelsior, Lopez Doriga, El Pais