A Mexican actor and a French tourist who were kidnapped in México state on Sunday were released after a ransom was paid on Monday.
Although the kidnappers had asked for 150,000 pesos (US $7,690), the two were released after the payment of 30,000 pesos.
Actor Alejandro Sandí and businessman Frederic Michel were kidnapped by armed men in the popular hiking area of the Xinantécatl volcano, better known as the Nevado de Toluca. Sandí had been traveling with actresses Vanessa Arias and Esmeralda Ugalde.
The ransom payment was coordinated by the National Anti-Kidnapping Coordinator and the México state Attorney General’s Office, which carried out investigation and intelligence operations to locate the victims, they reported in a press release.
French authorities opened an investigation into the kidnapping of Michel and hoped for a “close working relationship with local authorities.”
The fact that the two men were not traveling together has led the French press to suggest the possibility that the kidnappers were looking for Sandí, rather than Michel.
The two men were released unharmed after being held captive for over 24 hours.
Investigations into the identities of the kidnappers are still underway.
Sandí became famous for playing roles in the crime drama web televisions series El Señor de los Cielos and Señora Acero.
Sources: El Universal (sp), Milenio (sp)
