The father of Liverpool footballer Luis Daz has been released by his captors, according to Colombian authorities.
According to Colombian radio station LA FM, Luis Manuel Diaz will be brought to the Colombian city of Valledupar first. He’ll then be returned to Diaz’s hometown of Barrancas, where he and his wife were kidnapped last month.
The Colombian terrorist group Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) was recognized this week as the gang responsible for Diaz Sr’s kidnapping from a Barrancas gas station on October 28. Cilenis Marulanda, Diaz’s mother, was also kidnapped in the same incident, but she was liberated the next day while her partner remained hostage.
However, the couple are poised to be reunited more than a week after the Colombian military launched a’major search’ for Diaz’s father. If recent developments in Colombia and Venezuela are to be trusted, this is the case.
Since their involvement in the kidnapping was revealed, the ELN has been in contact with authorities. This includes communication with Colombia’s President, Gustavo Petro, though it was initially believed that a breakdown in the connections would jeopardize any possibilities of retrieval.
Diaz made an emotional comeback to Liverpool’s team over the weekend, prompting speculation about his release. The winger came off the substitute to score a vital equalizer against Luton Town, exposing a sign on his undershirt that read: “Libertad Para Papa (Freedom for Papa).”