The kidnapping of the football player Luis Diáz’s parents in La Guajira last Saturday—a crime that has the nation on edge—was carried out by the last armed guerrilla in Colombia, according to information provided this Thursday by the Government of Gustavo Petro’s peace delegation in dialogues with the ELN. After a protracted police and military search, it was discovered a few hours later that the mother had been let free; however, the father was still being held captive in spite of the massive efforts made by the authorities.
The news jeopardises the most advanced of the conversation tables within the framework of the overall peace agenda with different armed factions, while the delegation demands their immediate release from the insurgent. According to a statement signed by Otty Patiño, the Government’s chief negotiator at the table with the National Liberation Army, “today we have had official knowledge that the kidnapping carried out on October 28, in Barrancas, department of La Guajira, of which Luis Manuel Díaz and Cilenis Marulanda, father and mother of the soccer player Luis Fernando Díaz, were victims Marulanda, was perpetrated by a unit belonging to the ELN.”
A six-month truce was declared by the delegates; it went into effect on August 3 and will last until the following year. The government delegation’s statement emphasises, “We demand that the ELN immediately release Mr. Luis Manuel Díaz, and we remind him that it is his entire responsibility to guarantee his life and integrity.” In the development of the current peace process, “we remind the ELN that kidnapping is a criminal practise, in violation of International Humanitarian Law, and that it is their duty to not only stop carrying out, but also to eliminate it forever,” the statement read.
What’s the Liverpool’s decision
Luis Díaz has not appeared in a game for Liverpool since the Merseyside Derby victory against Everton on October 21 due to this issue. Since then, he has missed the Europa League encounter against Toulouse (though coach Jürgen Klopp made the decision to do so), as well as the games against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, all of which were already impacted by the issue he was experiencing. The surprising and humane decision made is that he will also miss Sunday’s match against Luton Town.
