Colombian government confirms that Luis Díaz's father was kidnapped by the ELN

The delegation of the Government of Colombia at the Peace Dialogue Table reported that the father of soccer player Luis Díaz was kidnapped by the National Liberation Army (ELN). The delegation maintained that the action is "a criminal practice."

"As a delegation of the National Government for peace talks with the ELN, we express all our solidarity with Luis Díaz, his family, with the entire country and with the millions of followers of the player around the world," said the delegation in a statement released on X (formerly Twitter).

In addition, the government maintained that the integrity of the player's father is the responsibility of the criminal group. "We demand the immediate release of Mr. Luis Manuel Díaz, and we remind [ELN] that it is their responsibility entirely to guarantee his life and integrity. We remind the ELN that kidnapping is a criminal practice, violation of International Humanitarian Law, and that it is their duty in the development of the current peace process, not only to stop executing this practice, but also to eliminate it forever," said the statement signed by Oty Patiño, head of the government's negotiating team.

Meanwhile, the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported that the ELN would be evaluating releasing Díaz's father in the next few hours. " El Tiempo learned that the ELN would be coordinating the delivery of Luis Manuel Díaz, father of soccer player 'Lucho' Díaz in the next few hours," the media outlet explained .

The parents of Colombian Liverpool player Luis Díaz were kidnapped in Barrancas, La Guajira, Colombia, last week. Both were traveling in a truck when they were intercepted by men on motorcycles who took them away in the same vehicle they were driving. Law enforcement managed to free the player's mother in safe condition and continue the search for his father.