A friend who regularly drives back and forth between Houston and deep inside the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas reports that things have gotten eerily quiet there — at least from the standpoint of an American traveler searching for government security forces.

During a recent foray, there were just two checkpoints along along the highways he traveled. Previously, everyone who traveled on the road from the border city of Matamoros to Ciudad Victoria was required to stop their vehicle, get out, and step away during an inspection.

This time, it was extremely  laid back. No need to even exit the vehicle or even open doors. There were no were convoys of soldiers, and even the federal police presence — although he did see three cruisers parked together under a shade tree — was minimal.

via Pena Nieto’s Mexico? Narco soldiers now hard to find in Texas border state | Narco Confidential | a Chron.com blog.