A FOX NABS VIOLENT PREY

Monday, April 15, 2002 - With the arrests of more than 120 Mexican state
and city police, a new Mexico seems to be emerging from the ashes of
corruption and getting on the road to economic recovery and true democracy.

For more than seven decades, Mexico, under the entrenched Institutional
Revolutionary Party, has been enveloped by a government that stayed in
power with intimidation and corruption. When the PRI's 71-year grip on
Mexico ended with the election of Vicente Fox, who ran on a platform of
reform and honest government, one thing was clear: Fox had his work cut out
for him.

Commentators including The Post said it would be years before we'd see
sweeping changes in Mexico. That may still be so with the country's
economic situation, but already, we are seeing history in the making with
the aggressive crackdown on corruption.

Just last month, Mexican troops captured the alleged leader of Mexico's
most violent drug cartel. In coordination with the United States, 22
associates of the cartel were arrested, 17 of them in Denver, for alleged
narcotics distribution. The arrests are believed to have put the cartel
completely out of business.

Earlier this week, the arrest of 120 police officers was also part of the
Fox crackdown on drug smuggling and police corruption. Mexican soldiers
raided the state police academy in Tecate during a meeting. Troops ordered
the officers to hand over their police credentials before placing them
under arrest and putting them on planes to Mexico City. It's not yet clear
what charges are being filed.

Among those arrested was Carlos Otal, Tijuana's chief of police, and his
two bodyguards. In addition, Mexican authorities dismantled a secret,
1,000-foot tunnel outside Tecate that is believed to have been used to ship
tons of cocaine and marijuana into the U.S.

Such arrests - especially large stings involving law-enforcement officers -
were basically unheard of under the PRI. It looks like the Fox
administration is shaking things up - exactly what Mexico needs. Such
crackdowns on drug trafficking also make U.S. streets safer.