President’s Office: “United Nations and Catholic Church believers help rescue”
Luis Diaz’s goal ceremony ‘Freedom for Dad’ becomes a hot topic
Liverpool Club of England “Good news… Thank you to everyone who worked hard”
The father of Liverpool soccer player Luis Dias was released 12 days after being kidnapped.
According to CNN on the 9th (local time), the Colombian President’s Office announced on social media that day, “Luis Manuel Diaz, the father of soccer player Luis Diaz, has been released,” adding, “The United Nations Mission in Colombia and members of the Catholic Church welcomed him. He posted, “I did it.”
The accompanying photo shows Luis Diaz’s father looking at the camera along with Catholic church members who helped rescue him.
The United Nations said its mission in Colombia worked closely with the Colombian government, the Catholic Church, and the rebel National Liberation Army (ELN) to secure the release of Diaz’s father.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric explained in an interview with CNN, “We took charge of the actual operation together with Catholic church members and rescued him using a helicopter.”
Dujarric added that Diaz’s father was taken to one of the United Nations regional offices in Valledupar, northeastern Colombia, where he was reunited with his family.
Diaz’s father and his wife, Silenis Marulanda, were kidnapped by ELN armed members on a motorcycle at a gas station in Barrancas, northern Colombia, on the 28th of last month.
Marulanda was rescued the same afternoon, but Diaz’s father was not found. The police and military launched a massive search operation to find him.
The ELN said on the 7th that it was not releasing Diaz’s father because of the Colombian military’s operation, and mentioned that military troops were stationed in an undisclosed area. The ELN said it was “trying to avoid clashes with government forces.”
Luis Dias scored a goal in the game against Luton Town on the 5th and celebrated by showing a T-shirt that said ‘Freedom for Dad’.
Immediately after news of his father’s release broke, Dias was named in the starting lineup for the UEFA Europa League match against Toulouse in France on the night of the 9th.
The Liverpool club said, “We are delighted to hear that Luis Diaz’s father has returned safely and would like to thank everyone who worked to secure his release.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.