(CNN Spanish) –– 12 days after being held captive, the father of footballer Luis Diaz was handed over by his captors to the humanitarian commission of representatives of the United Nations and the Catholic Church. Confirmed by the Episcopal Conference of Colombia in XFormerly Twitter.
The delivery took place at an unspecified location in the La Guajira department in northern Colombia, on the border with Venezuela, a source with access to the operation confirmed to CNN.
Since early Thursday morning, members of the humanitarian mission arrived at the Valledupar airport in the Department of Cesar, from where they took off by helicopter and went to the place where they finally received Luis Manuel Díaz. Guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN).
Liverpool were released minutes before their Europa League match against Toulouse In the message at X he celebrated his “safe and sound” return of the father of the Colombian.
On November 8, 2023 a family member left the home of Luis Manuel Díaz. Credit: DANIEL MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images
Díaz’s father was abducted on October 28 in the city of Barrancas, La Guajira department in northern Colombia. The criminals approached him in his vehicle as he traveled through the streets in the company of his wife, Silinis Marulanda, who was released hours later due to pressure from authorities to pursue the kidnappers.
England’s Liverpool player revealed a message on his shirt on Sunday after scoring the tying goal against Luton Town: “Freedom for Dad.” Later, in his account on the social network
On Tuesday, after confirming Díaz’s release, the ELN said it was unable to carry out the operation due to the presence of army and police troops in the area. The Ministry of Defense ordered the withdrawal of the General Force from the area where the football player’s father was being sought. From that moment on, the government said through Otti Padino, the government’s chief negotiator in the peace process with the group’s guerrillas. A long excuse not to release Díaz’s father, one of the most important players in the Colombian senior soccer team.
Last Friday, in a statement to the media in Washington, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Pedro, said that the captive Mr. He blamed the guerrillas for what might happen to Diaz. “The ELN has taken responsibility for the life of Luis Díaz’s father, and it has committed an act against the peace process,” he said.
Currently, the Colombian government is pursuing a peace process with this illegal armed group and a bilateral ceasefire is in effect.
