After two days in captivity, Major League Baseball catcher Wilson Ramos was rescued from his kidnappers on Friday night in a mountainous region of Venezuela.
Ramos, who had an outstanding rookie season as a catcher for the Washington Nationals, was kidnapped from his home 90 miles outside of Caracas on Wednesday night. While the world is too familiar with crimes and kidnappings perpetrated by Mexican drug lords, Venezuelan kidnappings are also on the rise.
Police and National Guard commandos pulled off the rescue according to a statement on state television by Venezuela’s Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami. Aissami declared Ramos “safe and sound.” President Hugo Chavez authorized the mission. Currently five men have been placed under arrest for the crime.
Despite heavy gunfire exchanged between both sides during the mission, Ramos was unscathed physically, but did admit the mental toll of his captivity was heavy in a phone call to Venezuelan state television.
“The truth is I’m still very nervous, but thanks to God everything turned out well,” the 24 year old said and added, “They didn’t physically harm me, but psychologically I underwent very great harm.”
Hopefully Ramos will be recovered enough to participate when the 2012 baseball season gets under way with a series featuring the 2011 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals and the newly named Miami Marlins.