Armed guards escort tours of National Park on Mexican border

QUITOBAQUITO – It was a tour of public lands with splendid scenery, a glib guide – and lethal firepower on hand just in case.

The tour last week – to Quitobaquito Spring at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument south of Ajo – was guarded by federal officers armed with assault rifles and other weapons.

Why?

“It’s because of the perception that exposure to human and narcotics smugglers is a bad thing for the [...]