Politicians join search for hostage negotiator missing abroad

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (WSVN) -- The family of a veteran hostage negotiator who went missing in Northern Mexico roughly six months ago has gained the help of two of Florida's political heavyweights.

According to family members of Felix Batista, the father of five was attending a work-related conference in the city of Saltillo on Dec. 10, 2008 when he was allegedly asked to help with a kidnapping. During the case's negotiations, he gave all of his belongings to a colleague, told that individual to call his company and his family, and then got into a car. He was never seen again.

Though the hostage in that matter was eventually freed, Batista was feared kidnapped instead. "My father's a good man. He's a noble man. Nobody should have to go through something like this," said his daughter, Adrielle Batista.

Her father is a 26-year resident of Southwest Miami-Dade and has helped secure the safe return of hundreds of hostages throughout Latin America, and now authorities believe he was, ironically, kidnapped himself. "No ransom call has come in, and no one has called with information, unfortunately," said his wife, Lourdes Batistia.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson (Dem.) and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Rep.) have been in contact with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. Attorney General Holder Eric Holder and the FBI regarding the disappearance. "We will use all the elements of the United States government, including our intelligence community to pursue this case," Nelson declared during a meeting with the Batistas around noon Friday.

Mexico's escalating drug war, daily violence and 75 unsolved kidnappings of U.S. nationals prompted the State Department to issue a travel advisory against heading to the Central American county.

The Batistas have started a petition to draw attention to the dangers facing U.S. citizens there and to the search for their beloved patriarch. "My husband is a good man," his wife said. "If anybody gives him a chance to live, he will, he'll come home to us."

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