Villahermosa Tabasco: CJNG Kidnaps Nine Colombian Escorts

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Video translation is as follows:

Ciro Gómez Leyva. Let's take a look at this story that summarizes much of what we see, read, and hear about. It’s a combination of beautiful South American women, apparently human trafficking, criminal groups, private parties, and an absence of authority. This is the story of the 9 Colombian escorts who were kidnapped a week ago, a week ago in Villahermosa, Tabasco.

Voice of abducted escort: Mommy, I love you very much, I am fine, please pray a lot for me, and for these girls, there are several of us here. I’m lucky that I still have my cell phone on me and this is how I’m able to call you. Please forgive me mommy, for everything, for everything, for everything.

Jonathan Pardias: She is a Colombian escort. Part of a group of nine who have been missing since Friday, January 5th in Villahermosa, Tabasco. Other escorts from the same group were reported missing this week. They lived together in a house in Villahermosa. They claim that they were sent to an event eight days ago to the municipality of Cardenas by a man they identify as Saulo David Sanchez Zetina aka El Jaguar from Villahermosa. But the women never returned. Witness testimonies stated that this man has escaped to Merida. According to their companions, the missing women belong to a group of between 50 and 70 women who were brought from Colombia by a network allegedly controlled by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Headed by Saulo Sanchez Zetina aka El Jaguar. The women arrive in Villahermosa with a debt of 120,000 pesos and have to work as escorts at special events until they pay off their debt. Prior to this their passports are retained by the network. And they cannot leave without supervision. Some members of the network are also Colombians. Until yesterday nothing was known about the whereabouts of the 9 missing escorts. But today one of their companions assured that she made a video call with one of them. She affirms that they are alive. But they have been beaten. They say that the group that has them will only release them in exchange for Saulo, the boss who sent them.

Voice of abducted escort: They took away our cell phones because there was a problem between bosses.

Jonathan Pardias: Because of the type of work they do, it has been difficult for their colleagues to find the real names of the nine escorts who didn’t return to Villahermosa. But they have been able to establish the names of 5 of them. Nicole Garcia, Mariana Garces, Talia Velasquez, Valentia Pachon, and Wendy Murcia. One of them, who has not yet been identified, managed to send audios to her relatives in Colombia.

Voice of abducted escort: Tell my son Isma that I love him and that I miss him with all my soul, that he is a very intelligent child, very smart, that I love him very very much, my beautiful boy, that I miss him. If something happens to me let them know that I have a life insurance policy with Bancolombia, that they should go there, in case something happens, I have their future secured there.

Ciro Gómez Leyva: This is a story that the authorities didn’t know anything about. It is a surprise for the authorities to learn of this story. They know now about it because of this broadcast produced by Jonathan Pardias that we have just presented here. We asked the Tabasco prosecutor's office if they had any complaints about the disappearance of these 9 Colombian women. But up until this evening what they tell us is that no one has filed a complaint. And since no one has filed an accusation then there is no investigation. There is no accusation, there is no investigation. But there are at least, at least 9 women kidnapped tonight. Of 4 we don't know the names. But of 5, let's see if we can see them again on the screen. There they are. The names are there and so are the women. Nicole Garcia, Mariana Garces, Talia Velasquez, Valentia Pachon, and Wendy Murcia. We have at least 5 names. The other 4 we don't have the names yet. Now the authorities know. And if there is no accusation nothing happens. There are 9 Colombian women, escorts who are kidnapped. And as I was saying a few moments ago. This is a story that combines what we see. Incoming people coming from South America, private parties, money, apparently criminal groups are involved in this, human trafficking, and an absence of authority. Surely the authorities in Tabasco already knew about this. If they didn’t know about this beforehand. Well, we have this story here. 

Saulo David Sanchez Zetina aka El Jaguar

Villahermosa, Tabasco

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