The mayor of Rio Bravo, a municipality of roughly 110,000 people in Tamaulipas state near the US border, Miguel Angel Almaraz, was found alive after being taken by armed men in the violence-hit northern state of Zacatecas. Federal officials confirmed that Almaraz was released by his captors on Sunday, hours after he was seized while travelling with family members and friends on Saturday. According to Al Jazeera, armed men intercepted his vehicle in an area between Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, taking the mayor while allowing the other occupants to leave. His relatives subsequently reached a town in San Luis Potosi, where they alerted authorities about the abduction. Almaraz was reportedly taken to the city of Zacatecas before being released. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, although the motive and identities of those responsible remain unclear. Zacatecas has experienced persistent violence linked to powerful criminal organisations, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, which have been accused of targeting civilians and politicians. Almaraz was previously imprisoned for six years over money-laundering allegations but was acquitted in 2015.
TAGGED: [ abduction ] [ Mexican mayor ]