Liverpool player Luis Diaz’s parents kidnapped in Colombia
Luis Diaz’s mother was later rescued and his father still remains missing, say Colombian authorities
Parents of 26-year-old Colombian and Liverpool footballer Luis Diaz were kidnapped, while his mother was later rescued, his father still remains missing, said Colombian authorities.
Diaz’s mother Cilenis Marulanda was rescued from kidnappers in Barrancas, in the north of Colombia on Saturday but a search remains ongoing for his father, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro in a post on X.
“We continue in the search for the father,” he added.
“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 specialised team of prosecutors, police and military personnel have been working to find the location of these people, clarify the facts and find those responsible,” Colombia's attorney general's office said on X.
According to media reports, Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda were at a service station when armed men on motorbikes kidnapped them.
According to a report by AFP, Colombian police director General William Salamanca has deployed intelligence agents and officers to deal with the case.
The Liverpool on Sunday issued a statement saying they were “aware of an ongoing situation involving the family of Luis Diaz in Colombia.”
“It is our fervent hope that the matter is resolved safely and at the earliest possible opportunity,” the Liverpool said. “In the meantime, the player's welfare will continue to be our immediate priority.”
Luis Diaz has played 43 times for Colombia.
Last year, he joined the Liverpool from Porto.
Diaz was left out of the squad for Sunday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest after his parents were kidnapped.
“We had to obviously make a late change because of the private situation involving Luis Diaz,” manager Juergen Klopp said ahead of Sunday's game at Anfield. “It's a worrying situation for all of us and it was a pretty tough night. I have never had that before, it's a new experience I never needed.”
Diaz has not commented on the incident.
(With inputs from agencies)
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First Published:29 Oct 2023, 08:26 PM IST
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