Jesús Ovidio Domínguez Bentín (68), a businessman from Muxía (A Coruña), who was kidnapped in Venezuela fifteen days ago, has been released following the intervention of staff at the Spanish embassy in Caracas.

Jesús's sister, Maruja (photo), told reporters yesterday that he was "well," but will need a medical check-up because "he was kept all this time in a dark place with only liquids to drink which is why he's very thin, has grown a long beard and tells me he is unrecognisable."

Maruja also confirmed that "it was not necessary to pay the ransom," that had been set at 700 million Bolívars (€200,000 euros).

She also said that Jesús, who has not been back to Muxía for twelve years, is planning a trip home once he has recovered from his ordeal.

He was abducted on March 3rd as he was leaving a cake shop he owns in Caracas city centre.

Between May and October last year, four Galician businessmen were seized by South American kidnap gangs - three in Venezuela and one in Argentina - though all four were later released unharmed.