A new kidnapping case has affected a Cuban in Mexico. His family back on the island is desperate, as they have not heard from or seen him for 11 days and are receiving threatening phone calls.
Jorge Raúl Avalle Recio is a Cuban migrant in Mexico. His family claims that he has been kidnapped since October. His wife, in a desperate act, sent $3,200 as ransom, but he was not released.
After receiving the initial sum, the kidnappers increased their demand to $12,000, but the Cuban family cannot afford such an amount. Realizing they would not receive the money, the criminals lowered the ransom to $6,000. However, the victim's relatives still do not have that amount of dollars.
Jorge Raúl's wife and mother reached out to the Cuban journalist Mario J. Pentón to share their tragedy and seek help on social media.
In the messages they sent, they expressed that they have sold everything possible to raise the first $3,200, and after the last demand from the kidnappers, they have no way to send more money.
The family has not heard from Jorge Raúl in 11 days, as his captors do not allow them to hear or see their loved one, thus increasing the uncertainty about his well-being.
Jorge Raúl's distressing situation occurs against a backdrop of increasing risk for Cuban migrants in Mexico, where criminal gangs exploit the vulnerability of these individuals to extort money from their families, primarily in the United States.
Mario J. Pentón emphasized the importance of not yielding to the demands of kidnappers by sending money, as extortion often increases after the first payment is made.
This case is reminiscent of what happened to Adrián Pupo Ojeda, a Cuban doctor kidnapped in Tapachula, Mexico, who was released after friends and family managed to raise the necessary funds through a donation campaign within the Hispanic community.
The migration crisis and the harsh conditions that Cubans face on their journey to the United States continue to expose them to serious dangers, such as kidnapping, at the hands of criminal organizations that view them as a source of income.
Jorge Raúl's family keeps the hope of his release alive, although the lack of resources and the silence imposed by the kidnappers intensify their anguish.
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