Mystery of the missing pollster

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There’s been a news black-out in Guatemala over the kidnap and release of one of the country’s leading political pollsters, Emilio Arroyave, earlier this month.

Arroyave, of the polling firm Vox Latina, is doing work for the newspaper Prensa Libre in advance of September’s presidential election. He issued a national poll March 30 showing center-left candidate Alvaro Colom, of the UNE party, with a 10-point lead over retired Gen. Otto Perez Molina of the conservative Patriot Party.

Two days later, he was snatched and held for two days. He was released unharmed after his family paid about $5,000, according to the editor of Prensa Libre.

The lack of news stories has fueled speculation over the motive of his captors: whether financial, or political dirty tricks. Prensa Libre editor Gonzalo Marroquin says the kidnappers didn’t know Arroyave; only that he was driving a BMW.

Arroyave was too traumatized to talk, said a family spokeswoman. Marroquin promised more details Thursday during a visit to Mexico City.

Posted by Sam Enriquez and Carlos Martinez in Mexico City