Liverpool star Luis Diaz releases statement pleading for the release of his father after kidnapping in Colombia
Liverpool star Luis Diaz has released a statement pleading ELN, Colombia's most radical guerrilla group, to free his father. He has also urged international associations to help him.
Diaz took to social media on Sunday to send a message to ELN after scoring for Liverpool against Luton Town. He urged them to release his father while stressing that he was talking as the son of the person kidnapped than a footballer. He said:
"Here's not the player speaking. Today’s Lucho Díaz, the son of Luís Manuel Díaz. Mane, my dad, hard working man, family pillar… he's now kidnapped. I ask ELN to release my father as soon as possible. I also ask the international associations to work on that in order to guarantee his freedom".
He added:
"Every second, every minute we're more worried. We've no words to describe our family's terrible feelings, and it will be the same as long as he's not back at homeI beg you to release my father right now, respecting his integrity. I want to thank to all Colombians and also the international community for your support."
ELN also kidnaped the Liverpool star's mother, but the police managed to rescue her within hours. However, his father has been in their custody, and reports suggest they might have moved him to Venezuela.
ELN promise to release Liverpool star Luis Diaz's father
ELN released a statement last week and confirmed that they would be releasing Luis Diaz's father soon. They stated that it was never their intention to take one of the country's best footballer's father and said:
"The Northern War Front has commandos with economic missions - one of them carried out a deprivation of liberty, which when reported, was verified to be the father of Lucho Diaz. His release is being instigated, because he is a relative of the great footballer loved by all Colombians. From now on the release process begins and we want to avoid any further incident. Firm in the quest for paths of peace, with the necessary transformations that the country needs".
Diaz's parents were kidnapped on October 28 from a gas station in Barrancas. The police managed to free the Liverpool star's mother in a few hours, but ELN took his father away.
The Colombian star missed the games against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth last week. He returned to the squad on Sunday and scored the equalizer in the final minutes to help the Reds get a point against Luton.