While driving through the Buenos Aires suburb of La Lucila last September, Juan and Jorge Born, members of one of Argentina's richest families, were abducted by left-wing Montonero guerrillas. As a trainload of commuters watched in horror, the Montoneros, posing as policemen and telephone workers, forced the Borns' limousine into a side street, shot and killed their chauffeur and a business associate who was riding with them, and seized the brothers. Both were executives in the family-owned Bunge y Born, the largest privately owned firm in Argentina (grain, metals, Pharmaceuticals, textiles).
Last week, after months of rumors that negotiations were under...