Mogul Linked to Mexico Bribery Set Free

By MARK STEVENSON
Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- A construction mogul at the center of a bribery scandal that tainted the image of Mexico City's leftist government was released from prison early Tuesday, recaptured and then set free again.

The latest chapter in the three-year saga of Argentine businessman Carlos Ahumada began before dawn Tuesday when he was released from a Mexico City prison after being acquitted of embezzlement - only to have a squad of city police detain him again a few steps from the prison door.

The police wrestled him to the ground and shoved him into a car, though prosecutors later acknowledged that he was merely being served a summons to testify in another case and currently faces no further charges.

He was questioned at a downtown police building for several hours, and finally was released again near midday. Visibly tired and dirty after the scuffle with police, Ahumada - who has accused authorities of trying to silence him - did not want to talk much.

"I'd like to, but I'm very tired, exhausted," he said to throngs of journalists outside police offices. "Please, I want to go home."

Ahumada has described the city's prosecution as a political vendetta in retaliation for a series of videos he made showing him giving large wads of cash to members of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party, which governs the city.