Mexican Offical Shot in Chihuahua

M E X I C O   C I T Y, Jan. 17 -- The governor of the Mexican state of Chihuahua was shot and wounded today in thecountry's first major act of political violence since it ended 71 years of single-party rule, authorities said.

Police said a former member of the state police was takeninto custody. Gov. Patricio Martinez, whose state shares a 400-mile border with Texas and New Mexico, wasshot in the head inside the state capitol building and taken toa hospital, state and federal officials said. The bullet grazedhim, they said.

"The governor's condition is stable," Interior MinisterSantiago Creel told reporters in Mexico City.

The shooting was the most serious act of political violencesince the country was rocked in 1994 by the assassinations ofthe then-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party's (PRI)presidential candidate and the PRI's secretary general.

In elections last July the PRI lost the presidency afterruling Mexico for 71 years, handing power in December toPresident Vicente Fox of the conservative National ActionParty.

Former Member of State Police Arrested

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Televisa television network showed video of Martinez onfloor of the capitol building with blood flowing from his headand later being wheeled out on a ambulance gurney. He was beingtreated in a hospital in Chihuahua, the state capital.

Victoria Loya, aformer member of the state police who was dropped from theforce four years ago after she shot her husband, was arrested, a Martinezspokesman told independent news network Radio Red.

There was no immediate word on a possible motive. The shooting took place as Martinez, 52, was walking down aflight of stairs inside the capitol building and approached bya group of people. The shooter pulled out a revolver, fired ashot and immediately surrendered.

There were initial reports three others involved in theattack but the governor's spokesman, Antonio Garcia, said theformer policewoman apparently acted alone.

Martinez is a member of the PRI and had been mentioned aspossible candidate for the party's presidency, having gainedfame in the party for recapturing Chihuahua 1998 from Fox's PANparty.