13 security officers who had been kidnapped by demonstrators who had reportedly been recruited by a criminal organization the day before were freed by Mexican police on Tuesday, according to a senior official.
According to the authorities, a large number of protesters had taken control of Chilpancingo in the southern state of Guerrero on Monday and were clamoring for the release of two alleged drug gang members.
Governor of Guerrero State Evelyn Salgado said on Twitter that after talks with the police, the protestors also consented to cease obstructing the highway leading to the adjacent vacation city of Acapulco.
Salgado said, “Without repression or conflict, we were able to secure the release of 13 imprisoned public employees, who are already receiving medical care to guarantee their excellent physical condition.
In addition, the protestors gave back the armored police car they had used to break through the governor’s palace entrance in Chilpancingo.
Salgado remained silent on any compromises that may have been made to free the 13 hostages, who included a federal agent, three officials, five police officers, and five members of the National Guard.
The demonstrators sought the release of two members of the Los Ardillos drug trafficking organization who were detained last week, according to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
He assured reporters, “We won’t be held as hostages.”
Rosa Icela Rodriguez, the minister of security, said that the administration has decided to engage in “dialogue” with the protesters.
One of the poorest states in Mexico, Guerrero, has seen years of conflict brought on by territory battles between drug gangs.
Since the start of a contentious military anti-drug war in 2006, Mexico has recorded more than 350,000 killings and over 110,000 disappearances, most of which are blamed on criminal organizations.
16 police officers were taken hostage by assailants in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas last month.
After being imprisoned for a few days, they were released.