Newman died from her injuries at a hospital two days later. The officer who allegedly shot Newman abandoned his patrol car and remains a fugitive. Mexico City's police force of 36,000 is notoriously corrupt. Mexican President Cardenas' government recently launched a high-profile campaign to clean up the law enforcement branch. The mayor of tiny Brunete, Spain, is giving birthday presents to all his 5,000 constituents, but not all of them are grateful.
Some residents are upset that the mayor is using their own money to buy the presents.
Money for the gifts has come from an expense account earmarked for the mayor and the city council. Many locals feel that the mayor is simply trying to buy votes for the upcoming election in June. Bianchi told a local radio station last week that the ransom had been met. St. Paul was released in time for his feast day on Monday. Colombia has one of the world's highest human kidnapping rates in the world, with more than 2,300 reported last year.