Kidnapped Mexican footballer, Pulido rescued

Mexican authorities confirm that Olympiacos striker, Alan Pulido has been rescued safely after being kidnapped in his homeland on Saturday night.

The kidnappers had called Pulido’s family twice to demand a ransom.

The suspect who was arrested was from the neighboring state of Veracruz and was a member of one of the gangs operating in Ciudad Victoria, officials said.

Pulido also received a medical evaluation, a statement said.

The 25-year-old appeared outside a police office on Monday with a bandaged hand and told reporters he was “very well”.

Local media reported that Pulido had accompanied his girlfriend to a party in Ciudad Victoria, when he was abducted.

Read also: Olympiacos footballer kidnapped in Mexico

“The most important thing is that he is here”. A Mexican think tank, the Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice, said that the city was the second most unsafe in the nation for kidnappings, and Animal Político reported that Tamaulipas has the highest rate of kidnapping in the country.

Pulido declined to answer any other questions and was then driven away.

Authorities gave no details about the kidnapping or a motive for the abduction, which happened a week before state elections to pick a new governor for Tamaulipas.

His Greek club expressed relief over his safe escape from kidnappers.

Prior to his rescue, officials with Olympiakos said on Sunday they were in constant contact with the family, as well as with Mexican Ambassador Tarcisio Navarrete Montes de Oca, who told them that Mexican authorities were doing “everything possible”.

“He is with us”, Torre Cantu said.

Mexico has one of the world’s highest kidnapping rates.

Pulido was in Mexico’s 2014 World Cup squad, but has been dropped for next month’s Copa America. National team coach Carlos Osorio recently said Pulido was omitted because of his contract troubles.

In the most recent season, he scored five times in eight appearances with Olympiakos.

 

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