TROUBLED MEXICAN GOVERNOR RESIGNS

CUERNAVACA, Mexico (AP) -- The governor of the central Mexican state of
Morelos announced his resignation Tuesday following corruption and
drug-trafficking allegations against him and state law enforcement officials.

Jorge Carrillo Olea had vowed not to quit, but said he changed his mind
because of his ``desire to honestly contribute to resolving this complex,
problematic political situation'' in Morelos. He denied any wrongdoing.

The resignation would be effective Wednesday, when he submits a formal
request to the state legislature. Lawmakers from his ruling Institutional
Revolutionary Party said they would honor his request.

Pressure began building for him to step down in January after federal
police caught the commander of Morelos' anti-kidnapping unit, Armando
Martinez Salgado, and two other officers dumping the tortured, charred body
of a kidnapping suspect on a rural road in neighboring Guerrero state.

Martinez and other officials later were accused of working with kidnappers,
covering up crimes and failing to pursue kidnappers.

The National Human Rights Commission recently found that Morelos law
enforcement officials ``generated an atmosphere of insecurity among
residents, stemming from a wave of kidnappings, homicides, torture, abuse
of authority and other crimes, committed or permitted by them.''

Opposition parties that hold a third of the seats in the state legislature
have revived accusations that Carrillo Olea was linked to the late drug
lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes.

The New York Times linked Carrillo Olea to drug traffickers last year in
one of a series of stories that later won a Pulitzer Prize.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski