Jorge Arce Villegas, also known as Jorge Félix Arce Villegas, was described as the chief of the San Luis provincial police (Policía de la Provincia de San Luis) in reports published between August 1999 and September 2000 (Radio Universidad Nacional de San Luis 7 Aug. 1999; Unión de Trabajadores de Prensa de Buenos Aires 16 Nov. 1999; Clarín 22 Sept. 2000). On 22 September 2000, the Buenos Aires newspaper Clarín stated that Villegas had resigned from the position of police chief following a violent demonstration in the City of San Luis on 18 September 2000 in which several participants were injured.

Villegas was replaced by Miguel Angel Ubieta, formerly head of the provincial governor's bodyguard unit (ibid.; Cuyo Noticias 24 Sept. 2000). Media reports referred to Ubieta as the chief of the San Luis provincial police as recently as 5 July 2001 (Clarín 14 Oct. 2000; Diario de la República 18 May 2001; ibid. 5 July 2001).

No mention of Alberto Cura could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, in a 11 July 2001 interview, a San Luis provincial police officer attached to the force's Immigration Office (Oficina de Migraciones) stated that an individual called Alfredo Cura had been a police commissioner until his retirement in late 1999 or early 2000.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agencia Nacional de Comunicación (ANC). 16 November 1999. "Amplia solidaridad para un periodista amenazado." http://www.utpba.com.ar/anterior35.html [Accessed 10 July 2001]

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. 14 October 2000. Oscar Flores. "Violenta detención de un periodista." http://www.clarin.com.ar/ [Accessed 10 July 2001]

_____. 22 September 2000. "Renuncia." http://www.clarin.com.ar/ [Accessed 10 July 2001]

Cuyo Noticias [Mendoza]. 24 September 2000. "El lunes asume como jefe de policía..." http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/4306/urgente/septiembre.htm [Accessed 10 July 2001]

Diario de la República [San Luis]. 5 July 2001. "Investigan a tres puntanos por una extorsión en la provincia de Mendoza." http://www.eldiariodelarepublica.com/ [Accessed 10 July 2001]

_____. 18 May 2001. "Sumario para un comisario." http://www.eldiariodelarepublica.com/ [Accessed 10 July 2001]

Policía de la Provincia de San Luis, Oficina de Migraciones. 11 July 2001. Telephone interview with officer.

Radio Universidad Nacional de San Luis. 7 August. 1999. No. 14. "Tiempos Modernos." http://www.unsl.edu.ar/~cronicas/tiempos.htm [Accessed 10 July 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases.

Internet sites including:

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. 1999-2001.

Cuyo Noticias [Mendoza]. Aug. 2000-July 2001.

Diario Los Andes [Mendoza]. Feb.-May; Sept. 2000-May 2001.

Gobierno de la Provincia de San Luis.

La Nación [Buenos Aires]. 1999-2001.