Anonymous - 10-2-2004 at 02:10 PM
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/20...
September 30, 2004
MEXICALI, Mexico (AP) -- Two federal agents who tried to arrest a new state lawmaker moments before he was sworn in and received immunity from
prosecution were beaten and shoved from the legislature by an angry crowd of the politician's supporters Thursday night.
As Eligio Valencia Roque took his place on stage alongside 24 other recently elected Baja California legislators, two agents of the Mexican Attorney
General's office appeared, showed him a document, then started to detain him.
Valencia did not resist, but a group of 20 to 25 of his supporters dashed forward, surrounded the federal authorities and began beating them as they
shoved them out a back door.
One of the agents, who was not identified, claimed the aggressors broke his leg and he appeared to have been beaten in the face. The confrontation
took place in front of dozens of stunned witnesses, including family members of the new lawmakers.
Valencia, publisher of El Mexicano, a regional daily newspaper printed in Tijuana, faces charges of tax evasion in the amount of 7 million pesos, and
a warrant was issued for his arrest. The agents were attempting to take him into custody before he was sworn in, given that under Mexican law,
politicians enjoy immunity from prosecution.
Valencia was eventually sworn in, and in a news conference afterward, he remarked, "I have never evaded taxes." Valencia said the person responsible
for the newspaper's accounting office took care of the company's financial affairs. He did not name the person.
Valencia has been leader of the Baja California branch of the powerful national Confederation of Workers of Mexico for nine years. Many of his
supporters also belong to the union.
JESSE - 10-2-2004 at 02:56 PM
Only in Mexico, only in Mexico