2 Mexican female soldiers kidnapped by Jalisco Cartel in Puerto Vallarta

Mexican government officials revealed Thursday that two female members of the Mexican Army were kidnapped by members of the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation (CJNG) in the municipality of Puerto Vallarta in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

"It was in an important area of Puerto Vallarta. In a violent manner, the suspects broke down a door, subdued a guard and made threats with weapons. The victims were not harming anyone; they were kidnapped simply because they were part of the Mexican Army,” Brigadier General Vicente Perez Lopez, commander of the 41st Military Zone, said in a press conference.

According to police reports, the CJNG cell responsible for the crime is headed by Juan Carlos Valencia González, “El 03.” Valencia is the son of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” who is widely considered the leader of CJNG and is currently wanted by Mexican and U.S. authorities, Milenio reported.

The two soldiers were on vacation when they were abducted in what is considered retaliation for last Friday’s capture of Saul Alejandro Rincon Godoy, “El Chopa,” and Valencia Gonzalez’s mother, Rosalinda Gonzalez Valencia, who was arrested on November 15.

Both women are originally from Mexico City and reportedly have no ties to operations conducted by the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) or any other drug fighting organizations.

"We can imagine that it was members of organized crime who carried out this cowardly act because of the way in which they were taken. In view of this, the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the National Guard are working together to find these women, these soldiers, and to bring them back alive,” Perez Lopez said.

Sedena launched a land and air search on Thursday, deploying 450 members of the Armed Forces.

Saúl Alejandro Rincón Godoy died on Friday after CJNG members engaged in a firefight with members of the Mexican Army in Puerto Vallarta.

"El Chopa” was allegedly tied to the murder of former Jalisco Governor Jorge Aristoteles Sandoval Diaz and was identified as a lieutenant of a cartel that generates violence with national and international influence," Sedena further noted.