A Mexican mayor has been found alive after being kidnapped by armed men who intercepted his vehicle while he was travelling with family and friends in the northern state of Zacatecas.
Miguel Angel Almaraz was abducted on Saturday in an area bordering the states of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi. The attackers reportedly seized him but allowed his family members to go free.
According to the Security Department of San Luis Potosi, Almaraz’s relatives managed to reach a nearby town in the state, where they alerted authorities about the kidnapping.
Federal officials said the mayor was subsequently taken to the city of Zacatecas, where his captors released him several hours later.
The circumstances surrounding his abduction remain under investigation, while authorities have yet to identify those responsible.
The incident occurred in an area where several powerful drug cartels operate, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, both of which have been linked to attacks against civilians and politicians.
Almaraz is the mayor of Rio Bravo, a municipality in Tamaulipas state with a population of approximately 110,000. The town is located just seven miles (11km) from the US border with Texas.
The mayor has previously faced legal troubles. He was imprisoned in 2009 over accusations of money laundering and fuel theft but was acquitted six years later.
A member of the conservative National Action Party, Almaraz has also represented other political parties during his career, including the left-wing Party of the Democratic Revolution.
