Colombian authorities registered 14 cases of extortive kidnapping in January of this year, five more than in the same month in 2009.
Government agency Fondelibertad reported that of the 14 people kidnapped in January, seven had been rescued and two had been liberated by their captors.
Antioquia and la Guajira were the departments which registered the most kidnappings, with three each. The departments of Arauca and Cesar each registered two kidnappings while Nariño, Norte de Santander, Santander and Valle each reported one.
