El Aterrizaje Airstrip

No single official reason for the closure has been published. The most probable cause is linked to the extreme violence and insecurity in the Juárez Valley, where Práxedis G. Guerrero is located, during the peak of the Mexican Drug War (roughly 2008-2012). The closure was likely a result of one or a combination of the following factors:
1. **Security Operations:** The Mexican military (SEDENA) conducted extensive operations in Chihuahua during this period to locate and destroy clandestine airstrips ('narcopistas') used by cartels for smuggling drugs and weapons. El Aterrizaje may have been forcibly closed or rendered unusable during such an operation.
2. **Abandonment:** The intense violence led to a mass exodus of the local population and the collapse of the local economy. Legitimate owners of the airstrip may have abandoned the property due to direct threats or the impossibility of conducting business, such as agriculture or ranching, in the area.

The airstrip is currently abandoned and completely non-operational. Satellite imagery confirms that the physical outline of the dirt runway is still visible. However, it is unmaintained, significantly overgrown with desert scrub and vegetation, and shows no signs of recent aviation use. Vehicle tracks can be seen crossing the runway, indicating the land is now used for ground transit as part of the surrounding agricultural or ranching properties. The site is unsuitable for any type of aircraft landing or takeoff.

El Aterrizaje Airstrip was a private, unpaved runway serving general aviation purposes. Its legitimate operational history was likely tied to the agricultural economy of the region, potentially used for crop-dusting aircraft, light transport for farm equipment parts, or private travel for local ranch owners. However, its strategic location—in a remote area of Chihuahua less than 20 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border—made it a prime asset for illicit activities. It is highly probable that the airstrip was used by drug trafficking organizations for smuggling narcotics, cash, and weapons across the border, a common fate for many private airstrips in Northern Mexico.

There are no known or published plans, either by government entities or private parties, to repair, re-certify, or reopen the El Aterrizaje Airstrip. Given its likely history, remote location, and the ongoing security concerns in the border region, the prospect of it ever being reopened for formal aviation activities is considered extremely low.