The father of footballer Luis Diaz has been released, the Episcopal Conference of Colombia confirms

(CNN Spanish) –– After 12 days of captivity, the kidnappers of the father of footballer Luis Diaz handed over to a humanitarian committee made up of delegates from the United Nations and the Catholic Church, according to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”. The Episcopal Conference of Columbia confirmed it on the 10thformerly Twitter.

The extradition process took place in an unspecified location in the province of La Guajira, in northern Colombia on the border with Venezuela, a source familiar with the process confirmed to CNN.

Since the early hours of Thursday morning, members of the humanitarian mission arrived at Valledupar Airport, Cesar Department, and from there they left by helicopter to the place where they finally received Luis Manuel Díaz, who remained in the hands of the authorities. The source added that the National Liberation Army fighters.

Liverpool posted a tweet, minutes before the Europa League match against Toulouse A message in X celebrated the “safe and sound” return. From Colombian father.

Diaz’s father was kidnapped on October 28 in the town of Barrancas, La Guajira department, northern Colombia. The criminals approached him in his car while he was traveling in the streets with his wife, Selenis Marulanda, who was released hours later due to pressure from the authorities in pursuing the kidnappers.

After scoring the equalizer against Luton Town, the Liverpool player revealed a message on his shirt on Sunday that read: “Freedom for my father.” Later through his account on the social networking site

On Tuesday, after committing to release Díaz, the ELN announced that this operation could not be carried out due to the presence of military and police forces in the area. The Ministry of Defense issued the order to withdraw the public force from the area where the footballer’s father was wanted, and from that moment the government stated, through Oti Patiño, the government’s chief negotiator in the peace process with the guerrilla group, that there were no longer excuses not to release his father. Diaz, who is also one of the most prominent players in the first Colombian football team.

Last Friday, in a statement to the media in Washington, Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, blamed those gangs for what could happen to Mr. Díaz in captivity. He added, “The National Liberation Army is responsible for the life of Luis Díaz’s father, and has carried out an action that contradicts the peace process itself.”

Currently, the Government of Colombia is implementing a peace process with this illegal armed group, and a bilateral ceasefire is in effect.