Missing Haiti mayor found alive

The Mayor of the Commune of Estère, Senèque Estimable, has been found alive. He was last seen walking towards the capital  late last month, then went missing for days. News of the mayor being found was confirmed by his lawyer, Samuel Madistin. The attorney said that no ransom had been paid for the release of the Mayor, whom he said had been kidnapped on May 23.

Related: Haitian authorities search for mayor missing since May 23

He said his client was not abused and that the kidnappers had tried, without success, to force him to sign a cheque in their name. Earlier this week, he Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities (MICT) expressed concern over the disappearance of the Mayor and had urged citizens to remain calm, especially the residents of Estere, a commune in the Gonaïves Arrondissement, who had ransacked public buildings “in reaction to this previously unexplained disappearance” of the Mayor. The Ministry said that Estimable was last seen on May 23 walking in the direction of the capital. Madistin said Estimable had been released during the early hours of Tuesday and had made contact with a police patrol and members of the Motorized Intervention Brigade.