Rebel group, the National Liberation Army of Colombia, has blamed the Colombian government for the delay in releasing Luis Diaz’s father, who was kidnapped over a week ago.
This comes after the National Liberation Army of Colombia pledged to expedite the return of Diaz Sr.
A statement, signed by unit leader Commander Jose Manuel Martinez Quiroz, noted that the group is not able to release its hostage due to the active operations of the Colombian army that threaten their security.
“On November 2, we informed the country of the decision to release Mr Luis Manuel Diaz, father of the player Luis Diaz.
“From that date, we began the process to accomplish this as soon as possible. We are making efforts to avoid incidents with government forces.
“The area is still militarised, they are carrying out flyovers, disembarking troops, broadcasting and offering rewards as part of an intense search operation.
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“This situation is not allowing for the execution of the release plan quickly and safely, where Mr Luis Manuel Diaz is not at risk.”
The statement added that “if operations continue in the area, they will delay the release and increase the risks.
The group noted that it shares the anguish of the affected family, “to whom we say that we will keep our word to release him unilaterally, as soon as we have security guarantees for the development of the liberation operation.”
Diaz made a significant impact for Liverpool when he entered the game as a substitute, scoring a late equalizing goal against Luton on Sunday. After his goal, he raised his shirt to reveal a heartfelt message that read “Libertad para Papa” (Freedom for dad).
The winger, who had been absent from the team since the kidnappings, subsequently took to Instagram to share an emotional message, urging for the release of his father.