Belgian Hostages Held by
Guatemalan Farmers
Released
Guatemalan authorities
said four Belgian
tourists held hostage by
a group of Guatemalan
farmers were released
late Saturday, according
to reports from
Guatemala City.
Ronaldo Robles, the
communications secretary
of Guatemala's
presidency, said late
Saturday that the four
Belgians were freed by
the farmers after
security troops carrying
out a search along the
Rio Dulce river located
them.
He said the hostages
will be taken to a naval
base on the northeastern
coast and then flown to
Guatemala City early
Sunday.
The two Belgian couples,
aged between 59 and 64,
were taken hostage
Friday along with two
local guides in Rio
Dulce, a tourist resort
some 250 km northwest of
the capital Guatemala
City.
The kidnappers, a group
of Guatemalan farmers,
demanded the release of
their leader Ramiro
Choc, who was arrested
on Feb. 14 on charges of
illegal land invasion,
robbery, alleged
aggression against state
officials, as well as
inciting locals to seize
land and take over
protected nature
reserves.
It was not clear yet
whether the two
Guatemalan hostages had
also been released or
whether the government
has agreed to meet the
kidnappers' demands.
On Saturday, around 400
police and soldiers were
sent to search for the
six hostages along the
river.
The kidnappers belong to
the same group that took
29 policemen hostage
last month in the
Caribbean coastal town
of Livingston, said Jose
Roverto Goubaud,
spokesman of Guatemala's
Tourism Institute.
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