Luis Diaz, campaigning for his father’s release, after his goal against Luton Town. (Credit: Twitter)
A Sunday statement from the guerilla group blamed the delay of the release on pressure from a military deployment.
Colombia’s ELN guerilla group must release the kidnapped father of Liverpool footballer Luis Diaz on Tuesday, a government negotiator said, following a withdrawal of troops as requested by the rebels.
The 26-year-old winger’s father, Luis Manuel Diaz, was abducted in the northern Colombian town of Barrancas on October 28. Diaz’s mother was also kidnapped but was rescued hours later.
Diaz, who had returned back in action for Liverpool on Sunday, bundled home a goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw at Luton in the Premier League and immediately sent a message for his father, who is still missing after the kidnapping by a guerrilla group, National Liberation Army, known as ELN.
Morning ☕️Bad dropped points and a wholly forgettable performance but Luis Diaz deserves all the praise in the world ❤️
To even show the desire to be involved on the day, let alone come from the bench to rescue a point. Remarkable!pic.twitter.com/e0dsJ2Us9i
— The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) November 6, 2023
Luis Diaz lifted his jersey to reveal a T-shirt with the words “Libertad Para Papa” (“Freedom for Papa”) after scoring a late equalizer Sunday in his first appearance for Liverpool since his parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia.
Colombian authorities have since launched a massive search for the man.
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The head of the ELN has acknowledged the organization had made a “mistake” when it abducted Diaz’s father and vowed to work toward his release.
But a Sunday statement from the guerilla group blamed the delay of the release on pressure from a military deployment.
In response, troops involved in the search are repositioning, Colonel Giovanni Montanez said Monday.
“There is no excuse. It is expected that this release will take place today,” Otty Patino, the government’s chief negotiator in ongoing broader peace talks with the ELN, told broadcaster Radio Blu on Tuesday.
Luis Diaz’s mother has been seen in public for the first time since her kidnapping as she leads a march demanding for the release of the her partner Luis Manuel pic.twitter.com/kJ9RRszyjc— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) November 1, 2023
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The kidnapping has threatened to derail high-stakes peace negotiations between the rebel group and leftist President Gustavo Petro, taking place amid a six-month ceasefire.
Petro, a former urban guerrilla himself, took office in August 2022 with the stated goal of achieving “total peace” in a country ravaged by decades of fighting between security forces, leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)