Authorities in Mexico are on the hunt for at least one kidnaping suspect after two gunmen rescued him and another man during a prisoner transfer in central Mexico.
The incident took place this week in the Mexican state of Hidalgo when a group of prison guards were moving prisoners from a state prison near the town of Mixquiahualato to a local courthouse in the city of Progreso de Obregon. According to information provided by the Hidalgo Attorney General, it was during that transfer that two gunmen in a sedan were able to intercept the prisoner transfer convoy, overpower the guards, and rescue two kidnapping suspects.
The gunmen left their white Nissan Tsuru several miles down the road, where it is believed that they switched vehicles. As part of a series of large-scale manhunts with federal help, authorities recaptured one of the prisoners. The other suspect and the gunmen remain at large.
The escaped prisoners have been identified as 46-year-old Luis Fernando Ugalde Pérez and 27-year-old Juan Pablo Sanchez Mendoza. Both men, along with a third suspect, are facing kidnapping charges in connection with a February 27 incident where they kidnapped a man that they held for ransom at a stash house in Xochitlan. They allegedly held the man hostage until state police forces rescued him and arrested the three suspects.
The rescue comes at a time when the central part of Mexico has seen a rise in carjackings, armed robberies, and kidnappings despite claims by Mexican authorities that crime is decreasing.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
