For Samuel Doria Medina, it was the worst experience of his 37-year life: 45 days in captivity outside of Bolivia's capital La Paz. Medina, a wealthy cement producer, former planning minister and owner of Bolivian newspaper Hoy, found inspiration in remembering a quote from The Bible he read in Isabel Allende's House of the Spirits: "Try to survive because in the end, we will all be dead."

"I'm probably 10 kilos lighter, 10 years more experienced and 25 times more inspired to work for my people, my country," the unshaven businessman told reporters after his release last December. Although he declined to confirm that he had paid a ransom, local media and businessmen reported that the kidnappers were paid about US$3 million. Shortly after his release, Bolivian authorities arrested at least six people in connection with the abduction, including several members of the Peruvian leftist guerrilla movement MRTA.

Although the kidnapping was unusual by Bolivian standards, Medina is in no way alone. Latin America last year saw at least 6,000 kidnapping

In Brazil, the same five-member family would only pay $9,000 or $10,000 for $1 million in coverage and $45,000 for $5 million in coverage, he says. Insurance generally covers the ransom, the cost of hiring a security firm to handle negotiations and even payment to the family of a sum equivalent to the salary of the hostage during captivity.

Part of the problem is that victims often refuse to cooperate with local police or authorities, fearing that law enforcement officials are in cahoots with the criminals or that rescue attempts will be bungled. "Seventy-nine percent of all hostages are killed during rescue attempts in Latin America," says Kroll deputy chairman Brian Jenkins.

Brigitt Holck, a wealthy German businesswoman in Rio de Janeiro, was abducted in November 1994 during a shootout outside her office; the kidnappers killed her chauffeur.

Last December, Panamanian police arrested six Colombians who had kidnapped a wealthy Panamanian woman and held her captive for four days before she was rescued. Also arrested: Two members of the national police. According to police officials, Panama had 11 abductions last year. In Ecuador, some 200 kidnappings a year have placed it second to Colombia as the Latin American country with the most kidnappings per capita.

In May, two Swedish engineers working for Swedish construction firm Skanska were released after six months' captivity. Again, FARC was believed to be behind the kidnapping; a $6 million ransom was asked. Local authorities did not report whether a ransom was paid.

They demanded a $3 million ransom. She was rescued by Rio's anti-kidnap police after two weeks.

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