{"id":7647,"date":"2023-11-10T18:17:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T23:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/luis-diaz-father-of-liverpool-winger-reveals-details-of-kidnapping-including-almost-12-days-without-sleep-football-news\/10\/11\/2023\/"},"modified":"2023-11-10T18:17:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T23:17:17","slug":"luis-diaz-father-of-liverpool-winger-reveals-details-of-kidnapping-including-almost-12-days-without-sleep-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/luis-diaz-father-of-liverpool-winger-reveals-details-of-kidnapping-including-almost-12-days-without-sleep-football-news\/10\/11\/2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Luis Diaz: Father of Liverpool winger reveals details of kidnapping including ‘ almost 12 days without sleep’ | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The father of Liverpool star Luis Diaz has revealed details of his captivity – and said he intends to keep living in Colombia despite his ordeal.<\/p>\n

Luis Manuel Diaz was released on Thursday after spending 12 days in the hands of guerrillas.<\/p>\n

During a press conference, the 58-year-old said his kidnappers had advised him to remain calm.<\/p>\n

He said he had “almost 12 days without sleep” and had to endure “a lot of quite difficult horseback riding, lots of mountains, rain”.<\/p>\n

“Even though the treatment was good, I didn’t feel very comfortable,” he said.<\/p>\n

He and his wife were abducted by armed men on motorcycles at a petrol station in the town of Barrancas, near Colombia’s border with Venezuela on Saturday October 28.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old footballer’s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued within hours by police after roadblocks were set up.<\/p>\n

Officials said they could not rule out the possibility that he had been smuggled over the border – meaning he would have been out of reach of Colombian police.<\/p>\n

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\n Luis Diaz started for Liverpool against Toulouse on Thursday
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A reward of $48,000 (\u00a339,000) had been offered for information leading police to the hostage.<\/p>\n

The Liverpool winger had pleaded with his father’s captors to release him – and said he and his brothers were in a “desperate” situation.<\/p>\n

Mr Diaz was eventually released by guerrillas from the National Liberation Army (ELN), according to the Colombian FA.<\/p>\n

The capture stoked criticism of ongoing peace talks between the ELN and the government of leftist President Gustavo Petro, who is trying to put an end to Colombia’s six-decade internal conflict that has left more than 450,000 dead.<\/p>\n

The government and the ELN began a six-month ceasefire in August.<\/p>\n

What happened to Diaz’s parents?<\/h3>\n
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\n Diaz celebrated scoring against Luton with a message asking for his father’s freedom
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Luis Manuel Diaz and his wife Cilenis Marulanda were snatched by armed men<\/strong><\/a> on motorbikes at a petrol station in the town of Barrancas, in La Guajira, near the border with <\/strong>Venezuela, on Saturday October 28.<\/p>\n

She was rescued within hours after police set up roadblocks – but the whereabouts of her husband was unknown.<\/p>\n

Otty Patino, who was leading the peace talks, said at the time: “We demand that the ELN releases immediately Mr Luis Manuel Diaz and we say as of now that they are entirely responsible to secure his life and integrity.”<\/p>\n

The following Tuesday, the winger begged his father’s captors to release him – as his mother, uncle and other relatives took part in a vigil.<\/p>\n

He posted an Instagram story with details of the event and the caption: “Bring your candle to light the light of hope – free him now!”<\/p>\n

Special forces were deployed to search for Mr Diaz, with air and land patrols trawling a mountain range that straddles both Colombia and Venezuela<\/strong><\/a> – as Colombia’s police director vowed to use every agent to find him.<\/p>\n

Officials said they could not rule out the possibility that he had been smuggled over the border – meaning he would be out of reach of Colombian police. A reward worth $48,000 (\u00a339,000) had been offered for information that helps police locate Mr Diaz.<\/p>\n

However, on Thursday November 9 he was handed back over to his family. Reports say he was handed over to the UN humanitarian commission, the church and medical personnel in the Serrania del Perija region.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The father of Liverpool star Luis Diaz has revealed details of his captivity – and said he intends to keep living in