Mexico Under Siege

Francisco Velasco was Cancun's police chief until last month's killings. Federal officials believe he protected seven people accused in the deaths.

By Ken Ellingwood

LA Times
March 2, 2009

Reporting from Cancun, Mexico -- The suspect cruised around in an SUV that had been reported stolen. He toted corrido music glorifying drug smugglers and hit men, and allegedly helped them operate in this beach resort.

And until a few weeks ago, he was Cancun's police chief.

Now Francisco Velasco is in custody in Mexico City while federal authorities investigate whether he took part in the killing last month of a retired army general who had been hired to revamp the city's police force.

The 57-year-old Velasco, who was in his fourth stint as Cancun's police chief, has not been charged. But federal officials say they believe he protected seven people accused of kidnapping and killing Gen. Mauro Enrique Tello and two others.

(More here.)