So much for the idea that peace and democracy have been restored in Honduras! If the nation’s leading beauty queen isn’t safe, who is? And she is not safe. She was recently abducted, and they are still searching for her and her sister:
The Inter-Institutional National Security Force (FUSINA) of Honduras is searching for Miss World Honduras 2014, María José Alvarado Muñoz, and her sister, Sofia Trinidad, near the Guatemalan border, particularly in Ocotepeque and Santa Bárbara, according to the Honduran daily, La Prensa.
“Traffic stops, mobile patrols, and raids have been carried out in the sector of Santa Bárbara, a military presence has been placed near the entry and exit of the municipality, said police spokesman José Coello on Tuesday.
“As well, military roadblocks are being carried out in the sector of Arada, San Vicente, and neighboring municipalities where it is believed the young women could be,” Coello added. The spokesman also informed that they had identified the vehicle in which the two were last seen.
The two young women disappeared on Thursday night after attending a party given by Sofia Trinidad’s boyfriend on the outskirts of Santa Bárbara. Currently, four persons are being investigated, among them the boyfriend, Plutarco Ruiz, and the owner of the resort where the party was held.
The mother of the disappeared women, Teresa Muñoz, explained that the women knew the men who were driving the car. “They had met them just a short time ago,” she stated on a Televicentro TV program.
Miss World Honduras had planned a trip to London on Wednesday to compete in the pageant. She also worked as a model on a TV program by the former presidential candidate, Salvador Nasralla.
Translation mine.
If that seems like an awful lot of uproar for one beauty queen and her sister, well, that might be because they’re kind of sacrosanct in Latin America. A pageant career is a common stepping stone for many a model, actress or TV host. Plus, there’s the salient little fact that Honduras happens to be the most violent country in the hemisphere right now, and with the highest crime rates, and has been that way since the coup of 2009.
And the disappearance of María José and Sofia Trinidad Alvarado Muñoz comes right as the 19-year-old former is slated to leave for London to compete in the pageant finals. Obviously, someone is hoping to make big bank off her ransom. And it would appear that Sofia’s boyfriend was in on the kidnap plans, in that he lured the two to a pool party where the abductors took them.
Hope they find both sisters soon, and safe and sound.
UPDATE: According to Buzzfeed, the Alvarado sisters have been found. Sadly, NOT safe and sound. The Washington Post reports that Sofia’s boyfriend killed both of them “in a fit of jealous rage” and buried them, with the help of an accomplice near the resort.
And anyone out there who thinks sexism doesn’t kill…you are officially full of shit.
