CAPTURE OF CARTEL CHIEF UNLIKELY TO AFFECT CITY

The Juarez-El Paso corridor, which is dominated by the Carrillo Fuentes
drug organization, likely won't see any change as a result of Saturday's
capture of Benjamin Arellano Felix, leader of the Tijuana drug cartel,
former DEA Special Agent Phil Jordan said.

"The Southwest border is more affected by the Carrillo Fuentes Juarez drug
cartel than by the Tijuana cartel," he said. "We probably won't see any
change in drug traffic."

The former director of the El Paso Intelligence Center also said that while
the capo's capture will score points for Mexican President Vicente Fox, the
proof of Fox's commitment lies in whether Mexico extradites Arellano to
face drug charges in the United States.

Last month, Arellano's brother, Ramon, reportedly was killed in a shootout
in Mazatlan, Sinaloa. Because of the strange way in which his body was
handled, many people remain suspicious about the reported death. Mexican
authorities admitted that people who used fake identification on documents
claimed his body and had it cremated immediately.

Power shifts

"I'm skeptical about the Ramon Arellano situation," Jordan said. "I'm going
to have to look into it further before I can say I believe that he's dead."

The rivalry between the Tijuana and Juarez cartels surfaces in Juarez at
times through violent murders designed to discipline members. The cartels
also conduct internal purges to get rid of people they no longer trust.

U.S. and Mexican drug experts say both cartels have their following in
Chihuahua state. Such a relationship lasts until a top drug dealer is
killed, or until a cartel-backed official loses an election or is otherwise
forced out of power.

Jordan said the Carrillo Fuentes cartel could end up smuggling more drugs
because it no longer has to worry about fighting off its rivals.

"But the Tijuana cartel won't go away, because it has too many
lieutenants," he said. "While it is busy reorganizing, the Carrillo Fuentes
cartel will get stronger, and so will the Gulf cartel under Osiel Cardenas."

March, rally

El Paso and Mexican elected officials made history Saturday when they
pledged together at the Paso del Norte bridge to help bring an end to
violence against women in Juarez.

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh and state Rep. Norma Chavez, both El Paso
Democrats, were greeted at the border by two Mexican federal congresswomen,
Concepcion Gonzalez Molina and Maria de los Angeles Sanchez Lira, who flew
in from Mexico City to show their solidarity.

El Paso Mayor Ray Caballero also attended the rally, along with County
Judge Dolores Briones and Probate Judge Max Higgs, among others. At the
rally, Victor Munoz, one of the organizers, publicly scolded U.S. Rep.
Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, for not sending a representative.