Colombian police free kidnapped Swiss

Colombian police have freed a Swiss woman kidnapped two weeks ago, authorities said on Saturday.

The 32-year-old, a resident of Colombia since December, was taken from her country house in the north-eastern La Guajira region by armed men on January 9.

Her captors had demanded a ransom of $350,000 (SFr364,100).

The woman, who had earlier been identified as a Swede in the media, was rescued after a raid on the kidnappers’ hideout, police said.

Authorities said the kidnappers were not linked to any of the country’s armed groups. One man was arrested.

Despite her negative experience, the woman, who is married to a Colombian national, said she did not want to abandon the country, known for its kidnappings and violence.

“This has not changed my attitude about Colombia, which is that it is a very beautiful country,” the woman told local media.

She has been reunited with her husband, La Gaujira’s police chief told the AFP news agency.

The Swiss foreign ministry said it was trying to find out more about the incident.

swissinfo.ch and agencies