Colombia: Liverpool Player Luis Diaz's Father Still Missing After Kidnapping Incident
A significant military and police operation is underway in Colombia to locate Liverpool football player Luis Diaz's father, according to BBC.
Authorities have offered a £40,000 reward for any information leading to his rescue.
More than 120 soldiers, along with police personnel, initiated a search in northern Colombia for Luis Manuel Diaz after reports indicated that armed individuals had abducted him and his wife.
The player's mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued in Barrancas on Saturday.
As a result of these distressing events, Luis Diaz was absent from Liverpool's squad during their match against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
The Colombian army, in a statement, revealed that they have established roadblocks and deployed two motorized platoons, unmanned aircraft, helicopters, and a radar-equipped plane to assist in the search for the footballer's father.
Colombia President Gustavo Petro stated that all available public forces have been mobilized to find Diaz's father.
Speaking on Sunday, General William Rene Salamanca, the Director of the National Police, announced a reward of "up to 200 million pesos" (equivalent to approximately £40,000) for information that could aid in locating the missing individual.
Colombia's Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa, has been in contact with Luis Diaz twice to provide updates on the ongoing investigation.
Barbosa mentioned that there is information suggesting the possibility that Diaz's father might be in Venezuela. Such a situation would require the intervention of President Petro.
Liverpool's manager, Jurgen Klopp, dedicated their 3-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday to Luis Diaz, emphasizing that they had won "for our brother."
Colombia Kidnapping Incident
The incident in Colombia involved reports that Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda were abducted by armed men on motorcycles while at a service station in the La Guajira area, per Al Jazeera.
General William Salamanca, the Director of Police, deployed intelligence agents and other police units to handle the case.
He stated that the police were actively conducting checkpoints and identifying individuals on motorcycles and public service vehicles to recover the kidnapped parents of the footballer.
The Governor of La Guajira, Diala Wilches, condemned the kidnapping and appealed for the safe return of the victims. She demanded that the kidnappers immediately release them unharmed.
Liverpool expressed its deep concern and affirmed its support for Luis Diaz, emphasizing that the player's well-being remains their immediate priority.
Colombia's Attorney General Says Luis Diaz's Father Could Be Taken to Venezuela
Colombia's Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa, has addressed the concerning possibility that those responsible for the abduction of Luis Diaz's father might attempt to transport him to neighboring Venezuela, ECHO noted.
Recent reports have raised the suggestion that those behind this act could be planning to take Luis Diaz's father into Venezuela, given its proximity to Colombia.
Barbosa shared his perspective on this potential scenario and the actions to be taken if it materializes: "We dispatched the director of the CTI [Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación] and a significant team of officials to the department of La Guajira to swiftly coordinate with the National Police and the National Army, with the objective of securing the recovery and release of his parents."
He continued, "Although his mother has been rescued, we are still in the dark about his father's whereabouts. There is information suggesting that he might have crossed into Venezuela at a certain point in time. If he has indeed crossed the border and is currently in Venezuela, we will need to request the assistance of President Gustavo Petro, who maintains a rapport with Venezuelan authorities, to aid in the recovery or release of Luis Díaz's father."
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: Luis Diaz's parents reportedly 'kidnapped by two men' in Colombia - Liverpool News Today
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