MEXICO CITY - This week was yet another big week for law enforcement in Mexico.
Federal police captured "La Barbie," a man considered a top drug trafficker. There was also the mass firing of 3,200 federal officers who failed to meet standards. More firings are expected in the upcoming weeks.
Federal police who captured La Barbie, birth name Edgar Valdez Villarreal, are on the frontline of Mexico's drug war. But, they are also fighting corruption among their ranks.
Last month in Juarez, officers rebelled against a commander they claimed was corrupt. It is now known that the commander was among the 3,200 federal officers who lost their jobs. The reasons behind the terminations included failing the physical exam or drug test and, in some cases, corruption.
The federal police officers relieved of their duties in Juarez and elsewhere in Mexico are now banned from working for any city or state police force anywhere in the country. In the past, that has posed a problem because officers fired in one region simply relocated and got a new job at another police force.
It's a new rule and part of Mexico's effort to build a more professional federal police force. The United States backs the plan and is providing training.
"The key test here is going to be whether the federal police are seen as acting in a way that is strong and significant and prosecuting those cases of corruption," said Carlos Pascual, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico.
More than 400 federal cops who lost their jobs could also face criminal charges.
