MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay: Arlan Fick speaks about his kidnapping by the EPP

Arlan Fick was released by EPP (Pic Reuters)

The teenager said he was never cold and that he befriended national policeman Edelio Morinigo, who is still held hostage by the rebels.

 Arlan Fick, released by the Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo (EPP) guerrilla group on Thursday evening right in time to celebrate Christmas with his loved ones after 267 days in captivity, spoke up early on Friday about his confinement. “I'm healthy after all this time, I'm calm, I'm okay,” were his words during an improvised press conference.

He also said that the EPP left him at the roadside with instructions not to remove his blindfold. “It was almost night when we started to walk until they decided to let me go,” he explained. “Then they took the piece of cloth off my face and told me to keep walking,” added the 17-year-old boy.

And walk he did until he reached the home of some menonite settlers from whom he borrowed the telephone to call his family. At first, the Ficks found it hard to believe it was actually Arlan, but they were easily persuaded by the youngster who spoke to them in German and told them things only he could know.

Arlan was released at around 9pm local time at Colonia Nueva Esperanza, Yby Yaú, some 40 kilometres from Paso Tuyá, where he resides. No details were given as to whether a ransom was paid or other demands from the terrorists had to be met by the family.

EPP still holds 24-year-old national policeman Edelio Morinigo hostage. Arlan said he and Edelio had been together “sitting on a hammock the whole day drinking terere and chatting”. But he said he did not know if the officer was to be set free.