SALINAS FIGHTS BACK

Reports that his brother stashed $84 million in Swiss bank accounts have prompted former Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari to fire back at his critics, faxing letters to news organizations saying he is willing to testify about his brother's legal problems and the problems of his one-time administration. "Above all, Salinas is concerned with his place in history," reports Latin America bureau chief Laura Lopez. "He also wants to clean up the family name. The attacks on him here have made him a villain in Mexican society. People are wearing masks with his picture in a jail suit. It's really nasty. But Salinas probably will testify. He's a tough guy who feels he can correct the perception people have of him." Salinas fled the country last spring after resigning from the presidency amid the collapse of the Mexican economy and his brother's arrest on murder charges. Mexican leaders have demanded Salinas, who is believed to be in Cuba, return to Mexico to answer questions regarding his brother's wealth.