Mexican federal police have arrested the mayor of the resort city of Cancun on drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime charges, the latest blow to 2010 state and local elections already marred by violence and allegations of drug cartel involvement.

Gregorio Sanchez, who took a leave of absence from the Cancun mayoral post to run for governor of the state of Quintana Roo, was taken into custody on Tuesday after arriving on a flight from Mexico City.

The federal attorney general's office said Sanchez is suspected of offering information and protection to the Zetas drug gang and the Beltran Leyva cartel.

Sanchez's website carried an article in which the candidate for the leftist Democratic Revolution Party and two smaller parties said he was being persecuted for political reasons.

Associated Press

(China Daily 05/27/2010 page12)