WORLD : Traffickers Release Senator

BOGOTA, Colombia — The Medellin drug trafficking cartel released Sen. Federico Estrada Velez in Medellin two days after his abduction and the government reiterated its vow to continue fighting cartel violence.

“I’m very glad to be back home, to be with my family,” the Liberal Party senator said after being released unharmed Thursday in northern Medellin, where he took a taxi to his home. Estrada Velez said he was treated well and that he expected drug traffickers to issue a statement.

Wednesday, drug traffickers took responsibility for the kidnaping and threatened to kill him unless officials freed two cartel suspects, but the government said the two were not in custody.