The Mexican government named a civilian as its new
antidrug chief today, to replace a general recently
arrested for his alleged ties with the drug mafias.

Before being named to the post, the new Commissioner of
the National AntiDrug Institute, lawyer Mariano Herran,
was submitted to psychological exams and drug tests, and
even hooked up to a lie detector. His financial and family
situation was also closely scrutinised. All those who work
in drug enforcement in Mexico are submitted to such tests,
according to AttorneyGeneral Jorge Madrazo. Since the
arrest of General Jesus Gutierrez, removed from his post as
Commissioner late last month under allegations that he
protected one of the country's most powerful druglords, the
country's entire drug enforcement apparatus has been
undergoing an indepth restructuring.

While Herran was getting ready to become the country's
new top antidrug official, new laws for fighting money
laundering were announced. According to the new norms, to
go into effect in early 1998, banks must report any
suspicious operations, as well as all transactions
involving more than $ 10,000.

The new measures come at a moment when the U.S. Congress
and courts are debating, amidst an outcry from local
politicians here, the supposed links between Mexican
authorities and the drug trade.

Local officials say the measures have nothing to do with
pressure from the United States, as opposition leaders and
a number of analysts have charged.

Local antidrug efforts are carried out in a sovereign
and independent manner, under the principles of
international cooperation, officials say. But critics argue
it is not a coincidence that whenever voices are raised in
the United States against Mexico's antidrug efforts, some
big drug baron is dragged into jail or new enforcement
measures are announced.

A process aimed at annulling President Bill Clinton's
late February certification of Mexico as an ally in good
standing in the war on drugs continued this week in the
U.S. Congress. The lawmakers involved have called into
question not only the country's antidrug strategies, but
its internal politics as well.

Although the bid to overturn the White House
certification is not expected to be successful, the Mexican
government and local politicians here fear that the country
is facing what they see as a new wave of attacks contrary
to the principles of sovereignty.

Today, a trial got underway in Houston, Texas, against
former Mexican deputy attorneygeneral Francisco Ruiz
Massieu, who Washington wants to deport on money laundering
charges.

Prior to the trial against Ruiz Massieu, arrested in
1995 for failing to declare money he was carrying, reports
surfaced to the effect that members of the family of former
president Carlos Salinas worked for the drug mafias.
According to the prosecution, former presidential candidate
Luis Colosio and Ruiz Massieu's brother, both killed in
1994, as well as Salinas and his family, were involved in
drug trafficking and formed part of a network in which
Francisco also allegedly participated.

The Salinas family has denied the allegations, and
announced that it would press charges against the U.S.
authorities for slander.

The latest chain of drug scandals, set off by Gutierrez'
sacking and arrest in late February, threatens to taint
Clinton's coming visit, scheduled for the second week in
April.

Mexico and the United States the world's largest
market for drugs have a 3,200 km shared border. More
than 70 percent of the drugs consumed in the United States
make their way through Mexico, which according to its
neighbor is one of the world's top money laundering
centers.