The father of Liverpool soccer star Luis Diaz was let free by National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels in Colombia on Thursday, following their nearly two-week-long hostage-taking of him.
The government’s peace negotiations with the ELN, which were resuming last year with the aim of terminating the group’s involvement in Colombia’s 60-year conflict that has claimed at least 450,000 lives, have been hampered by the kidnapping of Luis Manuel Diaz.
In August, the two sides started a six-month cease-fire.
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In the northern province of La Guajira, in the remote municipality of Barrancas, the older Luis Diaz was abducted on October 28.
“Thank you to all the people of Barrancas, to La Guajira and to Colombia for this great support they have given to my family. Thank you all, much love to you all,” the soccer star’s father said after arriving at his home.
While Diaz, the player, has stayed in England and is still playing for Liverpool, he has made public his pain over the crime by wearing an undershirt that reads “Libertad Para Papa” (Freedom For Dad) on Sunday during Liverpool’s Premier League match against Luton Town. He pulled one back for a 1-1 tie with a late goal.
In Thursday’s 3-2 Europa League loss to Toulouse in France, Diaz was named in the starting lineup for Liverpool. He didn’t have much of an impact until he was replaced nine minutes before the end.
“We are delighted by the news of Luis Diaz’s father’s safe return and we thank all those involved in securing his release,” Liverpool said in a statement on social media platform X.
In a statement, the government’s negotiation team with the ELN noted that while it was happy that Diaz was freed, the kidnapping “should never have happened.”
“Our delegation considers that the kidnapping of Luis Manuel Diaz has placed our dialogue in a critical situation and because of it, the time has come to take decisions to eliminate kidnapping,” the statement said.
The message also said that everyone detained by the ELN had to be released. Official reports place the number at roughly thirty. The United Nations and Catholic Church representatives have been actively involved in securing the captive release.
Colombian guerrilla groups have long utilised kidnapping as a means of pressure and financial gain.
A week prior, the ELN declared that Diaz would be released and that the kidnapping was an error in judgement. The army refuted the rebels’ claim that military actions were a barrier, which caused his release to be postponed.
“We remain committed to the search for change and peace,” the ELN said on Thursday in a message via X.
Along with his wife Cilenis Marulanda, who was set free a few hours later, Diaz was kidnapped by armed men.
Of the various armed organisations the administration has attempted to engage with, talks with the ELN are the most advanced.
According to Colombian security sources, at least 40% of ELN fighters could reject a possible peace agreement and continue to carry weapons, as exclusively revealed by Reuters in September.
Analysts and opponents of the negotiations have long expressed alarm about the ELN’s fragmented leadership structure, stating that the group’s most radical factions are unlikely to follow any agreement.