Two Navy Soldiers Who Were Kidnapped In Zapopan Found Alive In Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

"HEARST" and "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

The two kidnapped Navy soldiers were found alive by police officers in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.

Milenio newspaper has confirmed that the two SEMAR soldiers have been located by law enforcement. As further confirmation, Infobae is also reporting that the Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office (FGE) confirmed to them that the two soldiers have been found. 

On the night of November 19, 2021, the two soldiers, who had been kidnapped earlier this week in Zapopan, were found in the Educación neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.

Journalist Lupillo Arce, writing for Tribuna de la Bahia, gives the most detailed account of the discovery. He writes that municipal police officers were in the middle of transporting a detainee to the nearest hospital after an alleged assault and vehicle ramming incident that occurred on Francisco Medina Ascencio Avenue. 

While driving in their patrol car to the hospital on Politécnico Nacional Avenue, with the detainee in the back, the officers were flagged down by two concerned citizens who had observed two people kneeling down, seemingly in distress. 

The police officers stopped and approached the reported location which was at the entrance to soccer fields. Upon approaching the two, the officers noticed that the kneeling people were handcuffed and their eyes were blindfolded. In video footage, one of the victims appears to be a man and another appears to be a woman. 

Video contains no graphic content. Video Source: Tribuna de la Bahia

After removing the blindfolds, the two kneeling people told the officers that they were SEMAR soldiers and that they had just been released after being held captive for four days. Immediately the municipal officers radioed up the discovery of the two missing soldiers and requested the support of more personnel on scene. 

Video contains no graphic content. Video Source: Tribuna de la Bahía

Several other patrol vehicles arrived and first responders determined that neither victim had suffered serious injuries. In videos of the incident, the female soldier can be heard saying "We are fine, they didn't do anything to us," as she is being led by a municipal police officer to a patrol car. 

Navy personnel also traveled to the location to help the two soldiers and transferred them within a Navy ambulance to facilities to receive medical attention at a Naval Hospital. The FGE stated that it will continue to investigate their kidnapping in order to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators.

The Naval Hospital where the soldiers were transported, photo taken on the night of November 19, 2021

Additional Photos, Maps & Video Stills

Attorney General's Press Release 

An excerpt of the Attorney General's official press release reads as follows: 

Members of the Secretary of the Navy who were kidnapped last Monday in the Valle Real neighborhood of the municipality of Zapopan were located in the municipality of Puerto Vallarta.

Municipal police officers who were performing a service, noticed that two people were kneeling down with their faces covered while passing by the place.

When questioned about their situation, both identified themselves as members of the Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR) who had been deprived of their freedom in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara [Zapopan] and who had been released there a short time ago.

Elements of the SEMAR (NR: located 200 meters away) arrived at the place where they were located and took charge of both elements who were taken to receive medical attention.

Now that both elements have been located, the Jalisco Prosecutor's Office will continue with the investigation in order to obtain evidence that will lead to the identification of those who deprived them of their freedom.

Background 

On November 15, 2021, two soldiers who were assigned as staff (one as a driver, another as a secretary) to a naval captain from the Eighth Naval Zone were abducted. Both were sitting aboard a white Jeep Wrangler that was parked in a Walmart parking lot in the city of Zapopan, Jalisco. 

While the pair were waiting for the Navy captain who was shopping inside the store, they were approached by armed subjects who arrived in multiple vehicles and kidnapped. The Jeep was later found abandoned and their cellphones were both turned off at 10:39 pm.

Unconfirmed, alleged photo of Laisha Michelle Oseguera González

Federal authorities have stated that they suspect the kidnapping was done as an act of retaliation for the arrest of Rosalinda Gonzalez Valencia, the wife of Nemesio Oseguera, alias “El Mencho”, the leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). Laisha Michelle Oseguera González, a daughter of Mencho, was allegedly behind the abduction.

Note: Borderland Beat is choosing not to share the alleged names and photos of the two Navy soldiers.

Sources: Milenio, Infobae, Julio Astillero, Tribuna de la Bahía, Informador, Quadratin, Excélsior, Notisistema, El Occidental, Sinembargo, UDG TV