Kidnapped in Mexico
Vladimir Hernandez gets a rare insight into Mexico’s world of kidnapping. He speaks to police, victims, negotiators and has a disturbing interview with a kidnapper.
**Warning: This programme contains strong language and graphic descriptions of violence**
Mexico, with its history of drug-war violence and corrupt police, has one of the highest kidnapping rates in the world. Official figures for 2015 state that just over 1500 people were taken. Unofficially the figures are said to be much higher - running into the tens of thousands.
In the past, the crime tended to target the rich but now it has become much more egalitarian. Victims these days are often shopkeepers, taxi drivers, service employees and people working in Mexico’s informal economy. Victims tend to be young – students with parents willing to pay ransoms, are frequently targeted. Kidnapping and ransom operations form a large part of drug cartels’ criminal portfolio. With a lack of trust in the authorities there has been a significant rise in the number of private negotiators who deal with the ransom negotiations. The Â鶹Éç’s Vladmir Hernandez has obtained exclusive access into the world of these private negotiators and tells their rarely told story. He also has a disturbing interview with a kidnapper.
(Image: An illustration of a kidnapping in Mexico, animation by Luis Ruibal)
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An interview with a kidnapper
Duration: 03:41
Broadcasts
- Thu 10 Mar 2016 00:32GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service except News Internet
- Thu 10 Mar 2016 03:32GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Thu 10 Mar 2016 05:32GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service Online, Europe and the Middle East, East Asia, South Asia & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Thu 10 Mar 2016 07:32GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service Australasia
- Thu 10 Mar 2016 18:32GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service Australasia
- Thu 10 Mar 2016 19:32GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service except Australasia & News Internet
- Mon 14 Mar 2016 02:06GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service Australasia
- Mon 14 Mar 2016 06:06GMTÂ鶹Éç World Service East Asia
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