In This Episode, We Get Tactical About: - The chaos on the U.S.-Mexico border and the far reaching effects it has on all Americans.
Staying alive and keeping your wits when everything around you is falling apart.
Surviving and overcoming post traumatic stress.
Living a life of service and committing to a cause greater than yourself.
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Show Notes:
“This is Victor Avila from ICE! We are shot! We are shot! We are at a highway in Mexico; we’ve been shot and attacked on the highway!”
It was shortly after 2 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2011, and Avila’s partner, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Jaime J. Zapata, lay dying in the driver’s seat of their armored SUV while Avila, shot three times himself, desperately pleaded for backup.
The Chevrolet Suburban was under attack by the Los Zetas drug cartel’s hitmen and time was running out.
We are joined today by Victor Avila. Victor is a retired Supervisory Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) who was recognized by HSI for his exemplary service and professional accomplishments while serving as a Special Agent at the El Paso Field Office and as an Assistant Attaché assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez and U.S. Embassies located in Spain, Portugal, and Mexico City.
While on official assignment in Mexico in February 2011, Victor suffered multiple gunshot wounds and survived a violent ambush by the Mexican Los Zetas drug cartel where his partner, Special Agent Jaime Zapata, tragically lost his life.
On today’s episode, Victor and I have a frank discussion about our shared experiences on the U.S.-Mexico border, overcoming and surviving trauma, working for the U.S. government and the threats Americans face from the Mexican drug cartels who have operational control over vast portions of Mexico and the U.S. Southwest.
Victor and Jaime’s story humbled and inspired me at an early point of my career, and the shameful way that Victor and his family were treated by agency officials in the years following the attack continues to anger me.
For his part, Victor has turned back to service following his retirement from HSI, continuing to advocate for border security, immigration reform and human trafficking awareness, as well as for legislation to protect U.S. government employees serving abroad. Victor was instrumental in lobbying for the passage of the “Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila Federal Officers and Employees Protection Act,'' and recently ran for Texas Land Commissioner.
You can read Victor’s amazing story in his book “Agent Under Fire: A Murder and a Manifesto” which is available at Amazon or https://agentunderfirebook.com. You can connect with Victor on Instagram at @victoravilajr, on LinkedIn or Facebook, or on his website www.victoravilaspeaks.com