Colombia: ELN Frees Luis Diaz's Father

Colombia's Liverpool footballer Luis Diaz's father has been released by left-wing guerrillas who kidnapped him 13 days ago, according to police sources and local media.

Luis Manuel Diaz was handed over to United Nations and Catholic church officials by members of the National Liberation Army.

He had been abducted on October 28 in the family's hometown, Barrancas, BBC noted.

Although the footballer's mother was also seized, she was freed within hours.

Local media reported that Luis Diaz father had been transported by a military helicopter to the city of Valledupar, where he would undergo a medical examination before reuniting with his family.

Authorities noted that he was in good health with no signs of mistreatment.

According to El Tiempo newspaper, there were tearful scenes in the neighborhood where the couple lived, with family members driving through the streets in celebration, many of them wearing Liverpool team shirts bearing the number 23 and Luis Diaz's name.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told TNT Sports that the footballer was "really happy."

ELN Says Kidnapping Luis Diaz's Father Was a "Mistake"

ELN, which initially claimed the kidnapping was a "mistake," released Luis Diaz father, AP reports.

The release was announced by the government delegation currently engaged in peace negotiations with the guerrilla group.

Upon his return to his hometown in the La Guajira region, elder Diaz, wearing a green shirt and baseball cap, waved to well-wishers and emotionally spoke to his neighbors through a megaphone.

The abduction's responsibility was initially unclear, but Colombia's government announced last week that it had information suggesting ELN's involvement.

ELN later admitted to the kidnapping, citing it as an error, and stated that the group's top leadership had ordered Luis Manuel Diaz's release.

In a statement, ELN mentioned that planned release efforts were hindered by military deployments in northern Colombia, and they couldn't guarantee a safe release under those circumstances.

The Colombian military shifted its positions to facilitate the release.

Following the kidnapping, special forces had been deployed in the area to search for Luis Diaz father in a mountain range that straddles both countries and is covered by cloud forest.

Police had also offered a $48,000 reward for information leading to his location.

ELN and Colombia Government

Shortly after the news of his father's release, Luis Diaz was included in Liverpool's starting lineup for their Europa League match against Toulouse in France on Thursday night.

In a statement, Liverpool FC expressed their delight at the safe return of Luis Diaz's father and thanked all those involved in securing his release.

Both the Colombian government's Peace Delegation and ELN welcomed Diaz's father's release.

The delegation thanked the police, military, United Nations verification mission in Colombia, and the Episcopal conference for their assistance in securing his release.

The delegation emphasized the need for the elder Diaz to regain peace of mind, considering the traumatic experience of the kidnapping.

They also stated that the kidnapping had a significant impact on the ongoing peace talks with ELN, and they would demand the immediate, safe, and dignified release of all current ELN captives at the next meeting, according to CNN.

These demands were echoed by Colombia's Ombudsman Carlos Camargo Assis, who called on ELN and all illegal armed groups to release all kidnapping victims currently held captive in the country, noting that there had been 79 kidnappings so far this year.

The Colombia Football Federation also expressed its gratitude to all the forces that made the release of Luis Manuel Diaz, the father of their player Luis Diaz, possible.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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