DEV-MUC3-1221 (SYNCHRONETICS)

BOGOTA, 3 APR 90 (EFE) -- [TEXT] THE POLICE IN MEDELLIN, ANTIOQUIA DEPARTMENT, IN THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF COLOMBIA, HAVE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THAT SENATOR FEDERICO ESTRADA VELEZ, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LEADERS OF COLOMBIA'S LIBERAL PARTY, WAS KIDNAPPED BY UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUALS IN MEDELLIN TODAY.

ESTRADA VELEZ, 64, WAS INTERCEPTED NEAR THE ATANASIO GIRARDOT FOOTBALL STADIUM IN MEDELLIN WHILE HE WAS WITHOUT BODYGUARDS, AND WAS FORCED TO ACCOMPANY AN AS-YET-UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUALS.

THE POLITICIAN, LAWYER, AND FORMER COLOMBIAN AMBASSADOR TO ITALY WAS KIDNAPPED IN THE SAME PLACE WHERE COLONEL WALDEMAR FRANKLIN QUINTERO, CHIEF OF POLICE IN ANTIOQUIA, WAS ASSASSINATED LAST YEAR.

FRANKLIN QUINTERO WAS ASSASSINATED ON 18 AUGUST 1989, A FEW HOURS BEFORE LIBERAL PARTY PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL LUIS CARLOS GALAN WAS KILLED IN THE TOWN OF SOACHA, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BOGOTA. THE TWO MURDERS WERE ATTRIBUTED TO THE MEDELLIN CARTEL, ONE OF THE MAIN COCAINE TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD. AFTER THE ASSASSINATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERAL PRESIDENT VIRGILIO BARCO DECLARED TOTAL WAR ON THE DRUG MAFIAS.