The kidnapped father of Liverpool football star Luis Diaz was released Thursday by the guerrilla group National Liberation Army or ELN, according to the Colombian government.
Luis Manuel Diaz and his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, were kidnapped in the small town of Barrancas on October 28. Marulanda was rescued by police within hours of being captured.
The kidnapping drew international attention, with the younger Diaz voicing public concern over his father. After scoring a goal November 5 in a match for Liverpool, he lifted his jersey to reveal the phrase “Libertad Para Papa” (“Freedom for Dad”).
ELN acknowledged the kidnappings were a mistake and ordered the elder Diaz’s release.
Between January 2022 and September 2023, armed groups in Colombia have carried out an estimated 160 kidnappings and 121 releases, according to the country’s Ombudsman’s Office.
Ongoing peace talks between ELN and the Colombian government to end their decades-long civil conflict, fueled heavily by an increase in drug smuggling, were weakened following the kidnapping.
The conflict has left 450,000 dead over the course of 60 years. Negotiations between the two sides led to a six-month cease-fire in August.
The Colombian government has held peace talks with several other guerrilla groups, though negotiations with the ELN have been the most advanced.
Some information in this report was taken from The Associated Press and Reuters.
