Cartel Gunmen Kidnap Mexican Border State Senator

A group of cartel gunmen kidnapped a Mexican border state senator and held him for hours, highlighting the control that criminal organizations continue to have in the state of Tamaulipas. The case details remain unknown, but relatives confirmed that the politician was home by Saturday morning. Unofficial information points to the gunmen releasing the politician, who made his way to a nearby house where he asked for help.

The incident took place on Friday afternoon at a ranch in Xicotencatl, Tamaulipas, when a group of more than ten gunmen pulled up to Vicente Verastegui during a public off-roading event and kidnapped him. The gunmen rode in on mopeds and a Volkswagen Jetta. Verastegui is a sitting state senator for the National Action Party (PAN) and is the brother of former gubernatorial candidate Cesar “Truko” Verastegui.

After the kidnapping, top officials of the PAN Party sounded the alarm on social media and asked for a full investigation into the matter. Some politicians criticized officials with Mexico’s ruling party over their controversial approach of non-violence in dealing with drug cartels.

In the aftermath of the kidnapping, Tamaulipas state authorities sent out convoys of police officers who combed the region in an attempt to locate Verastegui. By Saturday morning, the gunmen released him, and he made his way to a nearby house, where he asked for help. Authorities immediately responded to the scene.

Hours later, the Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office confirmed that Verastegui had been released and was safe at home. They claim to be investigating the case as an abduction.

As Breitbart Texas has reported, Xicotencatl is controlled by the Gulf Cartel after wrestling control away from a faction of Los Zetas.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.