The Sad Irony of a Kidnapping Expert Being Kidnapped

This unfortunately is not a headline from The Onion; it's a story from the Austin Statesman about the kidnapping of Felix Batista, a Cuban-American, Miami-based expert in kidnapping negotiations. Batista apparently worked for a Houston-based security firm and was invited by Mexican police to participate in a conference in Coahuila, a border town...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

December 15, 2008

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

This unfortunately is not a headline from The Onion; it's a story from the Austin Statesman about the kidnapping of Felix Batista, a Cuban-American, Miami-based expert in kidnapping negotiations. Batista apparently worked for a Houston-based security firm and was invited by Mexican police to participate in a conference in Coahuila, a border town.

Batista was kidnapped last week by a group of armed men, but officials aren't sure who is behind the abduction.The FBI and Mexican police are working the case.

-- Kyle Munzenrieder

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.