Blog 2: Political Figure is Kidnapped in Columbia

Kidnapping is used as a way to further an organization or individual’s cause. According to this article a Columbian congressional candidate was kidnapped by unknown kidnappers. The kidnappers insisted as a ransom that an incumbent representative, Gloria Stella Diaz, withdraw from her position.  The Columbian national government is yet to recognize this event as a kidnapping, whereas the local government is doing everything in its power to locate Botello, the missing candidate. Officials in Botello’s party, the MIRA party, state that because he is a member of this movement, he is not being afforded the same protection nor are the same resources that would be used to find others in larger parties being used to find him. Columbian national officials under the National Protection Unit(UNP) alluded to Botello partaking in “shady business” by leaving his body guard without anyone’s knowledge and going out without his protection. This implies that the national government believes, or at least wants it’s people to believe, that Botello disappeared on his own accord. Kidnapping is without a doubt a global issue that is used for political gain and intimidation. This specific case is an example of how a group of people want to gain something through diminishing a political party’s influence in the Columbian government. These tactics are used for political gain all throughout the world, and this is just one instance in which a prominent member of a social group was kidnapped for another group’s personal gain.

http://colombiareports.co/kidnapped-mira-candidate-guarantees-politicians-campaign-manager/