Felix I. Batista (disappeared 10 December 2008) is a
Cuban-American
Cuban Americans ( es, cubanoestadounidenses or ''cubanoamericanos'') are Americans who trace their cultural heritage to Cuba regardless of phenotype or ethnic origin. The word may refer to someone born in the United States of Cuban descent or ...
anti-
kidnapping expert and former
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
major who has
negotiated resolution to nearly 100 kidnapping and
ransom cases,
dozens of them in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
Batista was a consultant for
Houston, Texas-based security firm ASI Global.
In December 2008, he was kidnapped in Mexico.
Kidnapping
On 10 December 2008, Batista was kidnapped outside a restaurant in
Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico by unknown assailants
while there to speak and give anti-kidnapping advice.
Batista was working as a negotiator to secure the release of a friend of his, while he was in a restaurant with several other people he received a phone call advising that the victim had been released and a car was being sent for him. As Batista left the restaurant he was forced into a Jeep by a group of four people who had been waiting for him. An hour later the kidnapping victim was released.
Since then, no one has had any communication with him and no one has ever claimed responsibility for his kidnapping .
A statement from Batista's family said there was no sign of violence at the scene.
Military
Felix I. Batista, while a Major in the Florida Army National Guard and commander of a Military Intelligence Company was instrumental in developing a field training exercise called "Red Scorpion" which is now used NGB-wide by other National Guard Military Intelligence units.
See also
*
List of people who disappeared
Lists of people who disappeared include those whose current whereabouts are unknown, or whose deaths are unsubstantiated. Many people who disappear are eventually declared dead ''in absentia''. Some of these people were possibly subjected to enfo ...
References
2000s missing person cases
Hostage negotiators
Missing people
Missing person cases in Mexico
United States Army officers
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