Colombia investigating whether Spanish journalist was kidnapped
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}384090 01: ***EXCLUSIVE*** Two members of the AUC, the United Self Defense Force of Colombia, the extreme right paramilitary group, patrol a coca leaf plantation where a manual eradication of the coca leaves has gone into effect January 8, 2001 in the province of Putumayo, Colombia. Since the U.S. aid plan for Colombia began last December 15, the AUC are manually destroying coca leaves with machetes in and around the vast areas of coca leaf plantations south of Putumayo. The Colombian leftist guerrilla group, the FARC, is attempting to take control of areas that were under their control, not more than a year ago. (Photo by Piero Pomponi/Newsmakers) ((Photo by Piero Pomponi/Newsmakers))
Spain's foreign minister says Colombian authorities are trying to confirm whether a journalist who went missing over the weekend in a lawless region of Colombia was kidnapped.
José Manuel García-Margallo told reporters in Brussels Monday that Spanish officials are in contact with Colombian authorities trying to find Salud Hernández-Mora. She is a longtime correspondent for Spain's El Mundo newspaper and a columnist for the Bogota daily El Tiempo
Colombia's military is searching for Hernández-Mora, who was on assignment in El Tarra in the volatile Catatumbo region of northern Colombia.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Witnesses told the newspaper that she was last seen Saturday arguing with an unidentified man before taking a motorcycle to an unknown destination. The town's mayor said it is possible she was taken hostage.
García-Margallo says Hernández-Mora also holds Colombian citizenship.