The kidnapped father of Colombia national football player Luis Diaz has been released after two weeks. As seen on Caracol television on Thursday, he was taken in a helicopter to Valledupar airport in the Cesar department. According to media reports, the liberation process was led by the Catholic Church and a United Nations commission.
“We are delighted with the news of the safe return of Luis Diaz’s father and thank everyone involved in his release,” Liverpool wrote on X (formerly Twitter). The “Reds” also shared a message from the Colombian national team, thanking the national government, the armed forces and the police, among others.
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro recently demanded the immediate release of the father from the leftist guerrilla organization ELN. The English Premier League club Liverpool professional also had “Freedom for Dad” written on his T-shirt after scoring a goal in a game and later gave a touching statement directly addressing his kidnappers.
Luis Manuel Diaz and his wife were kidnapped on October 28 by a rebel group unit in the Guajira department in the north-east of the country. While the Liverpool professional’s mother was rescued shortly afterwards, his father was still in the hands of the guerrillas.
