08/02/10— In a press conference held this weekend the Secretary of Public Security, Genaro García Luna, told reporters that the Sinaloa cartel was responsible for the kidnapping of four journalists last Monday in Durango. Luna reported that through negotiations with federal authorities two of the journalists, Óscar Solís and Héctor Gordoa, were freed last week. The other two journalists, Jaime Canales and Alejandro Hernández, were rescued by the Federal Police (Policía Federal) this past Saturday after the criminal organization failed to release them as promised. They were being held in a safe house in the locality of Miguel de la Madrid, in Gómez Palacio, Durango.
According to Luna, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the leader of the Sinaloa cartel ordered the kidnapping of the four journalists as a means of forcing media outlets to circulate information and messages related to his criminal organization, “as part of a criminal propaganda strategy.” BBC Mundo reported that the kidnappers wanted to propagate three videos posted on an internet page specializing in drug-trafficking themes, in which police authorities from the cities of Torreón, Coahuila, Gómez Palacio and Lerdo, Durango, are being linked to the cartel organization Los Zetas.
Sources:
AFP. “Rescatan a periodistas secuestrados por el narco más buscado de México.” AFP. 01 Agosta, 2010.
Otero, Silvia. “PF: “El Chapo” ordenó plagio de periodistas.” El Universal. 01 Agosto, 2010.
