JUAREZ MAYOR ASKS FOR AGENTS' ARRESTS

JUAREZ -- Mayor Gustavo Elizondo is asking federal Attorney General
Jorge Madrazo to intervene in a case involving two federal auxiliary
policemen who were arrested last week while they allegedly snorted
cocaine in a stolen vehicle.

One of the auxiliary officers, known in Mexico as police madrinas, was
freed by a court Friday after posting bond and after two federal
agents demanded the pair's release. The second one was awaiting
disposition of his case by juvenile authorities.

"I'm demanding the removal and arrest of the two (federal) agents who
sought to free these two delinquents, and the process necessary to
determine how many other such 'collaborators' are serving with Juarez
federal police, which is charged with investigating execution-style
hits in this border city," Elizondo said in a letter to Madrazo.

"The characteristics of the two (arrested) men coincide with the
manner in which hit men have acted in the past -- (brandishing) AK-47
weapons while driving stolen vehicles," Elizondo said.

Madrazo's office had not responded to Elizondo as of late Monday,
Juarez city spokesman Ricardo Chavez said.

Norma Duran of the federal government regional office in Juarez said
noneof the officials authorized to comment on the matter were
available Monday.

Officials said city police detained Daniel Duarte Dominguez, 28, and
Fernando Duarte, 17, both of Sonora state, July 19 when they detected
the two were allegedly snorting cocaine at Peru and Mejia streets.
They charged them with possession of ammunition for Russian-made AK-47
assault rifles, weapons restricted to use by the military.

They were driving a 1998 Durango that was reported stolen in El Paso
on June 21, police said, and had in their possession $2,820 cash, a
police radio scanner, two-way radios, holsters for 9mm pistols with
cartridges, ski masks, duct tape, a camera, tear gas, a machete,
binoculars, flashlight, and 57 sets of handcuffs.

After the pair was arrested, federal agents Agustin Vilchis and Juan
M. Alfaro came forward and said the two suspects were collaborators
with the Mexican federal police, city officials said.

"The agents (Vilchis and Alfaro) demanded their release in an
arbitrary and threatening manner, but city police did not give in to
their pressure," Elizondo said in his letter to Madrazo. "The
seriousness of what occurred and the suspicions this has generated
deserve an immediate response from (Madrazo's office)."

Federal police in Juarez said the two federal agents were not
available for comment.

Chihuahua state and Juarez city authorities have reported more than 20
execution-style deaths in the city since Jan. 1. Most cases are
believed to be linked to drug cartels, and none have been solved,
police said.