14 SSPC Employees Kidnapped by Criminal Group in Chiapas

"El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Yesterday afternoon, 14 government public security employees were kidnapped by an armed group in Chiapas. Later, a video was released online showing the kidnapped held in a room, asking the governor of the state to accept the criminal groups' demands.

The kidnapped workers are administrative employees of the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC). The kidnapping occurred yesterday afternoon around 4:00 p.m., when the SSPC workers were traveling on the Ocozocoautla-Tuxtla Gutiérrez highway towards Tuxtla Gutierrez after the work day.

According to Proceso around 40 employees were traveling on a SSPC bus when a convoy of white vehicles stopped them. After blocking the SSPC bus in, armed man forced them all the SSPC employees off the vehicle, taking 14 male employees with them. Chiapas Paralelo reported that the armed men only took the men and ordered the women to stay where they were.

Later the night of the kidnapping, video was released online which shows the 14 employees being held in a room. The video shows that they do not appear to be beaten or injured.

One of the captured men speaks likely from a script. He claims that they are safe and unharmed and tells the family members of the captured not to be worried . He then asks the governor of the state of Chiapas to intervene on their behalf. He presents the demands of the criminal group who demand the resignation of several high-ranking state security officials.

According to veteran Chiapas journalist Isain Mandujano, since June 2021, Chiapas has been the battle ground for a conflict between the authorities and to criminal groups, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel  Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).

Sources: Azucena Uresti, Chiapas Parelelo, Proceso