Luis Díaz’s father released by Colombian guerilla group

The father of Liverpool soccer star Luis Díaz, who was kidnapped by a Colombian guerrilla group last month, was released on Thursday and handed over to representatives of the Catholic Church in Valledupar, Colombia, according to Colombia’s Episcopal Conference.

“We thank God for the release of Mr. Luis Díaz!” the conference posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“With him already are Mons. Francisco Ceballos, bishop of Riohacha, and Mons. Héctor Henao, delegate for Church-State relations, who formed the humanitarian commission in charge of facilitating his release.”

Luis Manuel Díaz and his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, were kidnapped by armed men from the National Liberation Army (ELN) on motorcycles at a gas station in Barrancas, the family’s hometown in northern Colombia, on October 28.

Marulanda was rescued later that same day, but a major police and military search operation had been ongoing in an attempt to find Díaz Sr.

Díaz played and scored for Liverpool on Sunday and pleaded for the release of his father after the Premier League match against Luton Town.

This is a developing story and will be updated.