Calderon replaces Mexican Attorney General Chavez, nominates Marisela Morales

By Tracy Wilkinson
Los Angeles Times

Locked in a grueling and bloody war with drug cartels, Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday replaced the nation's top legal official, whose lackluster stint had failed to improve paltry narcotics conviction rates or stem human rights abuses.

Atty. Gen. Arturo Chavez Chavez stepped down after 18 months on the job. Calderon nominated Marisela Morales, head of the high-profile organized crime unit of the prosecutor's office, to replace Chavez. The Mexican Senate must ratify the appointment.

Chavez's departure comes at a time of soaring violence in the drug war that has claimed more than 35,000 lives since Calderon launched the offensive in December 2006. A poll this week showed that a slight majority of Mexicans believe the cartels have the advantage in the war as impunity goes unchecked.

Despite thousands of arrests of suspected traffickers, only a fraction are prosecuted and convicted.

The removal of Chavez, however, is not likely to portend significant changes in Calderon's strategy, analysts said.

www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-attorney-general-20110401,0,4593286.story