Kidnapped, and the MAS

On November 19, 1981, Lehder was kidnapped by the M-19 guerrilla movement; he escaped wounded in the leg. This failed kidnapping followed the kidnapping of Martha Nieves Ochoa, leading to the formation of MAS. Lehder was one of the founding members of MAS, a paramilitary group that retaliated against kidnappings of cartel members.

He offered a million-dollar reward for his captors. Following this, he increased security, hiring ex-agents and acquiring a luxurious limousine from a former German chancellor, which was stored in the Mónaco building.