Copa de Oro Airstrip

While there is no official public record stating the reason for closure, the most probable cause is linked to the security situation in the state of Tamaulipas during that period. In the early 2010s, the Mexican military (SEDENA) conducted widespread operations to disable private and clandestine airstrips to disrupt the logistics of drug cartels. Many legitimate private airstrips were either closed by authorities as a preventative measure or abandoned by their owners to avoid being used for illicit activities and the associated risks. Economic factors, such as the operational cost becoming unsustainable for the ranch or business it served, cannot be ruled out but are considered a less likely primary cause given the regional context.

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. Current satellite imagery shows the runway is completely overgrown with grass and shrubs, making it unserviceable for any type of aircraft. The outline of the former 3,000-foot runway is still faintly visible, but the site is effectively returning to nature and is not being used for any other purpose.

Copa de Oro was a private dirt/grass airstrip. Its significance was purely local, serving as a private air facility for a nearby ranch or agricultural enterprise, likely the 'Rancho Copa de Oro'. When active, its operations would have consisted of general aviation flights for the transport of personnel, supplies, or owners. It may have also supported agricultural aviation, such as crop dusting planes ('avionetas fumigadoras'), which is a common function for such airstrips in rural Mexico.

There are no known or published plans to rehabilitate or reopen the Copa de Oro Airstrip. Given its complete state of disrepair, its private nature, and the persistent security concerns in the region, the prospects for reopening are considered non-existent.