The star player of the Colombian national team and the English club Liverpool by Luis Diaz the parents were kidnapped at the end of October in Colombia at a gas station. Diaz’s mother was soon released, but her father was kidnapped until Thursday.
The Colombian guerrilla organization ELN claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.
Been kidnapped for a total of 12 days Luis Manuel Diaz recounted his experience Friday at a press conference at his home in Barrancas, Colombia.
– I couldn’t sleep peacefully. They were 12 days without sleep, father Diaz revealed.
He had to walk for days with his captors in a mountain region that was foreign to him in the space of a couple of weeks. He described to the magazine that he was raised in the mountains by his parents, but this experience was something different.
– I walked a lot, rested a little. There was a lot of rain, rough riding, a lot of mountains and too many mosquitoes, Diaz said.
– Even though I was treated well, I missed my children, my wife and my family. I hope no one ends up on that mountain like I did.
The abduction of the Liverpool star’s father received a lot of international, and in Colombia, national attention. Isä-Diaz told the media that he does not know the reason for his abduction.
– I don’t know the reason, because there isn’t one. Everyone knows me as a hard worker, enterprising person, a person of faith, hope and a beautiful future, he said in front of the media.
He also emphasized that the kidnappers did not demand payment for his release. No money was asked from her son or other relatives during the abduction.
– They didn’t ask for money. They considered it, but didn’t.
In the background, decades of conflict
Colombia has had an internal conflict between the country’s government and various extremist groups since the 1960s, which has claimed at least 450,000 lives. The communist ELN and the government have tried to reach an agreement in the 21st century, but without success. ELN has an estimated 2,500 members.
In August, the parties signed a six-month ceasefire. At that time, it was said that the peace negotiations between the organization and the government are further along than even the current president of the country Gustavo Petron during.
The kidnapping of Issä-Diaz interrupted the peace negotiations between the parties. ELN commander Antonio Garcia commented on Diaz’s release on messaging service X on Friday.
– With the release of Luis Diaz’s father, ELN has fulfilled its obligations towards the family and Lucho (soccer star Diaz), Garcia wrote.
Earlier, according to Colombian media, he had said that the kidnapping of 58-year-old Diaz was a mistake, because Liverpool star Luis Diaz is “a symbol of Colombia.” After his release, Garcia also took a stand in X on the peace negotiations with the government.
– Do they continue to act crazy? ELN does not accept coercion or blackmail. There must be no illusions. ELN respects what has been agreed. A concrete solution must still be found in the negotiations, Garcia wrote.
Garcia also said there was no agreement to end the kidnappings when the two sides agreed to a ceasefire. ELN has said that it finances its activities with kidnappings.
Among others, the European Union and the United States have recognized ELN as a terrorist organization. The extremist organization’s activities are most active near the border between Colombia and Venezuela. The town of Barrancas, where Diaz’s parents live, is located near the border.
The local police and army feared that the kidnappers would try to take Father Diaz across the border to Venezuela, but this did not happen. It is still not completely clear whether the ELN’s reason for the kidnapping was financial or, for example, some kind of embarrassment for the Colombian government.
It was reported in the Colombian media over the weekend that, according to the police, a criminal organization outside the ELN was responsible for the kidnapping of the parents at the gas station. The Colombian government later confirmed that the kidnapping had been carried out by a unit belonging to the ELN.
Not leaving Colombia
Luis Diaz was in Liverpool’s starting line-up for Thursday’s Europa League game against Toulouse just hours after his father was released. Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp told TNT Sports at the time that Diaz looks really happy and has his “thumbs up” all the time.
While his father was kidnapped, Diaz played in a match against Luton and scored a goal. He aired his 1-1 hit by revealing a shirt with the text “freedom for dad” under his jersey. After the match, teammates and opponents hugged Diaz warmly and showed their support for the striker.
After the fight, Diaz released a statement about his father.
– Every second, every minute, our anxiety grows. My mother, my brother and I are desperate, anxious. We have no words to describe what we feel. This suffering will only end when we bring him home to us, Diaz commented in his statement.
Klopp said late last week that Diaz’s situation made the team even more united.
– The team is, and should be, a safe place for players and people in general. We will be here when he is, Klopp said, according to the BBC.
At the same time, Klopp reminded that there are always more important things in life than football.
At Friday’s press conference, father Diaz finally broke down in tears. He insisted after his release that he was not going to leave Colombia. He wants to live in his home country.
– I plan to continue living in my hometown because my family lives here. The government has strongly supported me. I believe and trust that it gives me security to be in Barrancas, he said.
Father Diaz also appealed to the Colombians. He would like his homeland to be more united and the conflicts to end.
– We have to unite and work. We must look to the future of Colombia and our projects and continue to work for culture and sports.
Sources: El Tiempo, El Espectador, El Colombiano, Reuters, BBC, The Athletic, New York Times, Independent