Heavy army presence chafes in Mexico drug war city

By Julian Cardona

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (Reuters) - Soldiers are storming into bars to search customers, giving advice to the mayor and even directing traffic as the army takes over the running of the most violent city in Mexico's drug war.

A massive security crackdown has reduced killings in Ciudad Juarez, on the U.S. border, but the military occupation is beginning to chafe with residents, threatening support for President Felipe Calderon's war on drug cartels.

As well as manning road-blocks and guarding government offices, thousands of troops sent to the northern city stand at road junctions directing traffic and search everyone from bar clients to schoolchildren for drugs and guns.

"Fifty soldiers came into the bar last week and searched everyone. Very few people come in now because of that and we're losing money," said Giselle, a bartender in Ciudad Juarez who declined to give her last name for fear of repercussions.

Ciudad Juarez is a manufacturing city across from El Paso, Texas, and once famed as a party town. But drug gangs killed 1,600 people here last year. Business and tourism slumped as hitmen dumped bodies on streets and hung headless corpses from bridges. Terrified residents avoided going out at night.

People are now venturing out again as the 10,000 troops and federal police Calderon sent in last month cut the murder rate by 80 percent and, despite complaints of army heavy handedness, many residents are relieved at the drop in killings.

"Thank goodness for the soldiers, it was hell here before," said restaurant chain owner Arturo Galvan.

Still, the relief with which many received the soldiers is fading as reports of rights abuses mount and people tyre of army checkpoints. Street drug dealing continues unabated.