Mexican protesters block 3 U.S. border crossings, demand army leave

Hundreds of Mexicans blocked three U.S. border crossings this afternoon, protesting alleged drug raids and arrests by the Mexican army.

Protesters demonstrated in Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas; Nuevo Laredo across from Laredo, Texas; and Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas.

The El Paso Times reports that the border crossings have reopened.

Many protesters were masked men holding signs demanding that soldiers leave their cities. Some women and children also participated.

The army has blamed previous protests on drug cartels trying to disrupt the anti-drug crackdown.

Five people were killed today in Reynosa, Mexico, during a street shootout between federal police and suspected drug cartel members, The Monitor of McAllen says. Two of the dead were civilians.

The escalating violence has prompted University of Arizona officials to warn students about traveling to Mexico for spring break, the Arizona Daily Star reports.

The intelligence provider Stratfor offers an analysis of the Mexican crisis and new developments.

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