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Mexican footballer Alan Pulido kidnapped near hometown Mexican footballer Alan Pulido's kidnapping sets off massive manhunt
(about 3 hours later)
Mexican footballer Alan Pulido was kidnapped on Sunday in the northern border state of Tamaulipas, a state official said. A Mexican international footballer was kidnapped in the north-eastern state of Tamaulipas over the weekend, triggering a massive manhunt in territory that has been a battleground of warring drug cartels.
Pulido is a forward for Olympiakos in Greece and was part of Mexico’s 2014 World Cup team, though he wasn’t called up for the Copa America tournament that starts on Friday.
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The official said the 25-year-old was kidnapped after leaving a party near his hometown of Ciudad Victoria, the capital of a state that has been plagued by organized crime. Alan Pulido, 25, was abducted after leaving a party late on Saturday night. The kidnapping happened near Pulido’s hometown of Ciudad Victoria, 200 miles south of the Texas border, according to family and state government officials.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss a case under investigation. Authorities have not given more details about the kidnapping or its motive. Pulido’s brother Armando told the sports publication Medio Tiempo that his brother had attended the party with his girlfriend and left at around 11.30pm. Pulido was traveling back to Ciudad Victoria when his vehicle was intercepted and he was seized by unknown individuals, his brother said.
Pulido debuted and played several seasons with the club Tigres of Monterrey, whose Twitter account expressed solidarity with the player’s family “in the difficult situation they are experiencing”. A state security source told the Guardian Pulido had been seen in Ciudad Victoria driving a BMW. The source said it was not known if he was pulled from that vehicle by his captors.
Pulido left Tigres in 2014 to play in Europe, though he has been in a dispute with the Mexican club about whether his contract there continues to be valid. National team coach Carlos Osorio recently said Pulido has the quality to be in his squad, but was left off due to the legal dispute. Tamaulipas state prosecutor Ismael Quintanilla Acosta confirmed the disappearance, saying Pulido was “intercepted by armed persons” and that his whereabouts have been unknown ever since.
In the European season just completed, he scored five times in eight appearances with Olympiakos. The kidnapping made national headlines in Mexico and brought outpourings of support.
“We sincerely hope that this ordeal ends before long and that Alan returns home safe and sound,” Pulido’s Greek club team, Olympiakos, tweeted on Sunday.
Pulido played for Mexico and was included the 2014 World Cup squad. He was left out of the squad for the Copa America, which starts next week, due to a legal dispute with his former Mexican club, Tigres, according to national coach Carlos Osorio.
Pulido’s kidnapping put attention on the public security problems in Mexico and especially Tamaulipas state, which occupies the country’s north-eastern corner and has been beset by violence and crimes such as kidnap and extortion.
Security analysts say the Gulf Cartel and its former armed wing Los Zetas have disputed the state since splitting in 2010.
Ciudad Victoria, the state capital, has been especially hard hit, with shootouts occurring in broad daylight and residents preferring to stay off the streets after dark.
A Mexico City think tank, the Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice, has ranked Ciudad Victoria the second-most dangerous city in the country for kidnappings.