Bogota, Dec 17 (EFE).- Freddy Palacios, the mayor of the town of Alto Baudo in Colombia's violence-plagued western Choco province, was kidnapped by rebels with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, authorities said Wednesday.
Palacios' abduction was carried out Tuesday afternoon "by men with the ELN criminal organization," provincial Gov. Efren Palacios Serna said in a communique.
Meanwhile, the provincial government secretary, Bismarck Calimeño Mena, said that the mayor was taken hostage when he was traveling in a boat from Alto Baudo to Medio Baudo in the company of 11 adults and five children.
"These other people were let go," said the official.
"The guerrillas said that they will respect the life of the head of Alto Baudo," said the government secretary, who added that Palacios had received threats and had requested increased protection as a result.
Gov. Palacios also said that at the time of the kidnapping, the mayor had three bodyguards with him, but they laid down their weapons and the rebels "only took the mayor."
The authorities are conducting operations to find those responsible for the abduction.
Several armed paramilitary groups operate in Choco besides the ELN, and they are fighting one another for control of the rich mining interests and lucrative drug trafficking trade in the region.
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