The state authorities said on Monday morning that they had rescued Pulido the previous night with the help of the army and federal police that maintain a heavy presence in the state that is notorious for the power of local drug cartels and its flourishing kidnapping industry.
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A professional soccer player who was kidnapped in Mexico Saturday night has been rescued by authorities, according to state officials.
Federal police chief Enrique Galindo gave a somewhat different version of the events in which he said Pulido was released from a safehouse after his captors reached “an agreement” with the authorities.
“The most important thing is that he is here, he’s with us”, the governor said, following a huge police and military search operation by land and air.
“They traded blows. He take [the phone] and calls 066. It all happened very quickly”, Quintanilla told Imagen radio.
Initial reports suggested he was rescued by Mexican police but details of three calls to an emergency operator obtained by the Associated Press suggest instead that the five-foot nine-inch striker needed no help.
Pulido’s family received the first ransom call around 1.30 pm on Sunday and a second one a short time later, Quintanilla said.
During a first telephone call, Pulido peered out of a window and described his location, a white two-storey house with two cars parked in front.
“Despite several bruises and a bandage on his right hand, Pulido appears not to have suffered serious injury, telling reporters: “[I am] very well, thank God”.
The suspect was 38-year-old from the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, who Quintanilla said was a member of one of the criminal organizations operating in the city.
Pulido now plays for Olympiakos in the Greek league and was back in his home country following the end of their season. “We thank each and everyone of you for your concern and prayers in these hard times”.
Tamaulipas State police spokesman Evaristo Gutierrez said only that there was one arrest made during Pulido’s rescue, but declined to give any more information.
The player’s Greek club expressed relief over the outcome. He had scored three goals in earlier call-ups for Mexico. He was rescued by federal agents after 65 days in captivity, ESPN reported.
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His abduction brought back memories of the kidnapping of Argentine manager Ruben Omar Romano in Mexico City in 2005.
