TARGETED BY DRUG CARTELS, MEXICAN POLITICIAN QUICKLY RELOCATES

MEXICO CITY - Mexican Congressman David Figueroa survived two
assassination attempts. Then federal intelligence officials told him
that they'd heard another attempt soon would be made.

Mr. Figueroa dropped out of the race for governor of Sonora state, a
thoroughfare for drugs heading to the Western United States.

He was quickly confirmed last week as the country's new consul general
in San Jose, Calif.

And almost as quickly, Mr. Figueroa, an up-and-coming politician in
the President Felipe Calderon's political party, relocated.

U.S. law enforcement officials say they think Mr. Figueroa was
targeted as part of an effort by drug cartels to turn up the heat on
Mr. Calderon. The president has dispatched more than 40,000 soldiers
all over Mexico to combat the gangs and has involved the military in
other ways that none of his predecessors dared do.

Since then, violence has increased.

So far this year, by the count of two leading Mexican newspapers,
there have been at least 2,400 drug-related murders nationwide. That
almost equals the roughly 2,500 drug-related killings for all of last
year.

To U.S. law enforcement, the escalating violence is a perverse sign of
success.

"These cartel leaders are starting to feel the pain, and the natural
response is to up the ante in terms of violence," said a U.S.
law-enforcement official who's close to the drug war and spoke on
condition of anonymity.

Mr. Figueroa first earned the enmity of drug traffickers when he was
the mayor of Agua Prieta, a border town across from Douglas, Ariz.

He publicly attributed his departure from the governor's race to a
desire to spend more time with his family.

But he revealed the real reason in an interview with McClatchy
Newspapers in the safety of Mexico's secure congressional building
after his diplomatic appointment was approved. McClatchy withheld
details until he'd left the country.

"They send a clear message," Mr. Figueroa said. The cartels strike
"whenever they want."

He acknowledged he's surprised that he's still alive. "I live because
God is great. I don't know how else to explain it," he said.

On Nov. 27, 2006, just days before Mr. Calderon took office, shots
from a passing car struck Mr. Figueroa in both legs and the head as he
rode in a car outside the city of Toluca, near Mexico City.

Authorities later determined that 25 bullets struck the
car.

Last Oct. 31, he survived a brazen close-range shooting near Mexico's
towering World Trade Center building, which was captured on
surveillance cameras and later splashed across YouTube. A man dressed
in a business suit called out "Congressman," then opened fire as Mr.
Figueroa turned to look. Inexplicably, the shots missed the lawmaker.