Miguel Ayala, son of Colombian singer Giovanny Ayala, was kidnapped by FARC dissidents while traveling in a vehicle on a road in the troubled southwestern department of Cauca, police said Wednesday.
The commander of the Cali Metropolitan Police, General Henry Yesid Bello, said that the kidnapping occurred on Tuesday on a road in the municipality of Cajibío.
Ayala had been in Popayán, the departmental capital, where he made artistic presentations, because, like his father, he sings popular music.
Together with Ayala, 23, his manager, Nicolás Pantoja, was kidnapped. Both were on their way to Cali, capital of the neighboring department of Valle del Cauca, to take a flight to Bogotá.
“They are two citizens who were traveling to the city of Cali and then taken to the north of that municipality (Cajibío),” said General Bello.
What happened with Giovanny Ayala’s son explained
The high official explained that the two kidnapped persons were traveling in a vehicle belonging to a transport platform when they were “intercepted in the rural sector of the El Túnel hamlet, in the municipality of Cajibío, by armed criminals from the Jaime Martínez front”, which is part of the Central General Staff (EMC), the largest FARC dissidence, under the command of alias Iván Mordisco, the most wanted man in Colombia.
“At this moment my family and I are going through an extremely difficult situation. I ask for respect and caution. This is not the time for hurtful comments, speculation or misplaced judgments. We thank those who have shown support and empathy. The only thing we ask is consideration for the pain and uncertainty we are going through”, expressed Giovanny Ayala on Instagram.
Cauca is one of the areas hardest hit by Colombia’s armed conflict and disputes over drug trafficking routes. There is a strong presence of FARC dissidents and National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas, reported Agencia EFE, as well as other illegal armed groups fighting for control of these illicit activities.
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