In a distressing turn of events, the mother of Liverpool winger Luis Diaz was successfully rescued from her captors on Saturday, but the search for his father is still underway, as confirmed by Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, President Petro announced that Diaz’s mother had been safely rescued in Barrancas, situated in the northern region of Colombia. He also added, “We continue in the search for the father.”
Colombia’s attorney general’s office shared insights into their dedicated efforts to address this harrowing situation, stating, “From the moment the attorney general’s office learned of the kidnapping of the parents of the Colombian player Luis Diaz, in the Barrancas sector of La Guajira, a specialized team of prosecutors, police, and military personnel have been working to find the location of these people, clarify the facts and find those responsible.”
According to local media reports, the kidnapping occurred while Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda were at a service station, where armed individuals on motorcycles abducted them. General William Salamanca, the director of the police, affirmed that intelligence agents and officers have been mobilized to address the case.
He mentioned that the police are actively engaged in checkpoints and are identifying individuals on motorcycles and public service vehicles with the primary goal of recovering the two kidnapped individuals, who happen to be the father and mother of footballer Luis Diaz.
The governor of La Guajira, Diala Wilches, strongly condemned the heinous crime, urging the kidnappers to return the victims immediately and unharmed.
Despite the distressing situation, the 26-year-old Liverpool and Colombia forward, Luis Diaz, has not made any public comments. However, Liverpool Football Club issued a statement on Sunday expressing their awareness of the ongoing situation involving Luis Diaz’s family in Colombia.
The statement reads, “It is our fervent hope that the matter is resolved safely and at the earliest possible opportunity. In the meantime, the player’s welfare will continue to be our immediate priority.”
Diaz, who has represented Colombia in international competitions 43 times, joined Liverpool from Porto last year. Liverpool is scheduled to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday, but this incident has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the player and the club.