Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 6 March 2018
Gunmen kill suspected drug lord at hospital in Cancun

By MARK STEVENSON name. fice said the four assailants troubling event in the state line because of the explo-
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Four Contreras Espinoza was ar- overpowered one of the in less than two weeks. On sive devices found in the
gunmen burst into a hos- rested in July on weapons hospital guards and went Thursday, undetonated ex- latest incident.
pital in the Mexican resort charges, but had been al- to the area where Con- plosive devices were found Cancun, which is a popu-
of Cancun and shot to lowed out of a local prison treras Espinoza was being on a tourist ferry that runs lar travel destination, has
death a drug gang suspect under guard for treatment treated, killing him and his between the Caribbean been largely spared the
and his wife, officials in the at a hospital for leg prob- wife before escaping. resorts of Playa del Carmen violence plaguing the rest
Caribbean coast state of lems. He was believed to State police said in a state- and the island of Cozumel. of Mexico. But in January
Quintana Roo said Mon- head the Cancun opera- ment that the attack "was A Feb. 21 blast shook an- 2017, gunmen attacked
day. tions of the Gulf drug cartel. a possible settling of ac- other ferry plying the same the state prosecutors' of-
The suspected drug traf- The hyper-violent Jalisco counts between drug route, injuring 19 Mexicans fice in Cancun, killing four
ficker was Alfonso Contre- cartel has been moving gangs." and at least five U.S. citi- people. A day earlier, a
ras Espinoza, alias "El Pon- into the resort city over the The private hospital is locat- zens. shooting at a music festival
cho," according to a state last year, pushing out other ed not far from Cancun's The U.S. Embassy in Mexico in Playa del Carmen left
official who was not au- gangs. tourist zone. barred its workers from tak- three foreigners and two
thorized to be quoted by The state prosecutor's of- The incident was the third ing any tourist ferries on the Mexicans dead.q

Mexican writers, intellectuals demand end to political probe

eroded the authority of the Obrador. The candidate
institutions that make up of Pena Nieto's Institutional
Mexican government." Revolutionary Party, Jose
The letter was signed by Antonio Meade, is in third.
former government offi- Last week, the Attorney
cials like Jorge Castaneda General's Office posted a
and Arturo Sarukhan and CCTV tape of Anaya en-
intellectuals including Jose tering the office's head-
Woldenberg and Enrique quarters in Mexico City
Krauze. along with his lawyers and
The group stressed they supporters. The tape is un-
weren't supporting Anaya remarkable, though some-
— just asking authorities not one in the group is heard
to politicize law enforce- uttering a curse.
ment. Acting Attorney General
"If there is firm evidence Alberto Elias Beltran ap-
of any offense committed peared to release the tape
by Ricardo Anaya, we de- precisely because authori-
mand judicial authorities ties wanted people to hear
act on that," the letter said. the swearing.
"But if that is not the case, "There were insults against
the use of the Attorney the employees of the Attor-
General's Office to perse- ney General's Office," Bel-
In this 2014 photo, then Mexican House of Deputies President Ricardo Anaya, left, and Mexi-
co's President Enrique Pena Nieto, attend a signing ceremony enactment of political reforms at cute an opposition leader tran said later in explaining
Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. puts Mexico on the same the video.
(AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) level as authoritarian re- Anaya and the others
gimes." seemed unaware they
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A ther bring charges or drop the group said prosecu- Anaya, the candidate of were being recorded. Tap-
group of influential Mexi- what is widely seen as a tors' attempts to pursue a the conservative National ing lawyer-client meetings,
can intellectuals and writ- politicized investigation of money-laundering investi- Action Party, is running sec- or having people taped by
ers penned an open letter an opposition presidential gation against an alleged ond in polls for the July 1 a third party without their
to President Enrique Pena candidate. associate of candidate Ri- presidential race behind consent, is prohibited in
Nieto, asking him to ei- In a letter posted Sunday, cardo Anaya "have further leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Mexico.q

Huge waves slam into Puerto Rico, force evacuations

By DANICA COTO saltwater flooded streets those produced by Hur- while surfing Sunday along known as Old San Juan.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) and homes along Puerto ricane Maria when it hit Puerto Rico’s northwest Ferry service to the popular
— Waves nearly 30 feet (9 Rico’s northern and west- nearly six months ago as a coast. Government officials nearby islands of Vieques
meters) high from a U.S. ern coasts. More than a Category 4 storm, said Ga- said another three people and Culebra also was can-
winter storm slammed into dozen streets remained briel Lojero, a meteorologist were rescued from a flood- celled. The ongoing dam-
Puerto Rico on Monday, closed, along with several with the National Weather ed motel in the northern age comes as Puerto Rico
forcing authorities to evac- beaches and two dozen Service in San Juan. town of Hatillo. struggles to recover from
uate dozens of families and schools in low-lying areas, a “It continues to be very The heavy swell also de- Hurricane Maria, which
close roads and schools move that affected more dangerous,” he told The As- stroyed several docks and caused up to an estimated
across the U.S. territory. than 6,000 students. sociated Press. part of a government- $94 billion in damage. Fore-
Huge waves downed palm The swell is the largest to hit The U.S. Coast Guard said owned boat terminal in casters said the swell also
trees, knocked over ce- Puerto Rico in more than it rescued an unidentified Catano that provides ferry is affecting the U.S. Virgin
ment benches and forced a decade, and it is gener- boogie boarder who ap- service to the historic part Islands and is expected to
curious crowds to flee as ating waves bigger than parently broke his wrist of Puerto Rico’s capital last through Wednesday.q