Liverpool Star’s Parents Kidnapped: Luis Diaz’s Father’s Possible Connection to Venezuela
Amidst the shock and concern surrounding the extraordinary kidnapping of Liverpool star Luis Diaz’s parents, a startling revelation has emerged, suggesting a possible connection to Venezuela. Colombia’s attorney general, Francisco Barbosa, has disclosed that Luis Diaz’s father, Luis Manuel Diaz, may have been taken to Venezuela as part of this distressing incident.
The harrowing events unfolded when Diaz’s parents were kidnapped while driving home to the town of Barrancas in Colombia’s Caribbean region on a fateful Saturday evening. In response, Colombian authorities swiftly activated a comprehensive operation involving both the police and the military to secure the safe release of the abducted couple.
Tragically, while Diaz’s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was successfully rescued shortly after the abduction, Luis Manuel Diaz remains unaccounted for. The attorney general’s revelation has now cast a shadow of uncertainty over his whereabouts, potentially pointing to a cross-border ordeal.
Francisco Barbosa shared his insight with reporters, stating, “We have information that he could, at some point, be in Venezuela. If he ends up crossing the border and he’s in Venezuela, we have to ask [Colombia] President Gustavo Petro… to help us with freeing Luis Diaz’s father.”
In a show of unity and solidarity, the Colombian football federation issued a heartfelt plea to the captors, urging the immediate and unconditional release of Luis Manuel Diaz. Their statement emphasized the principle that “Football is peace” and expressed unwavering support for Luis Diaz during this distressing period, concluding with the sentiment that “Colombia is with you.”
In a bid to expedite the recovery efforts, Colombian police have offered a significant reward of 200 million Colombian pesos (approximately £40,000) for any information that can lead to the safe return of Luis Diaz’s father. Throughout this trying ordeal, the footballer is being kept updated on the progress of the operation by the police chiefs involved.
General William Salamanca, entrusted with overseeing the rescue mission, conveyed the Colombian president’s direct order to lead the operation, reassuring Diaz that his mother is currently “safe and sound.” He added, “We are here using all the air and land capabilities of the police with the support of the Colombian Army.”
These distressing events led to Luis Diaz’s absence from Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on the following day. Manager Jurgen Klopp, addressing the situation, expressed the profound impact it had on the team, saying, “We had to obviously make a late change because of the private situation involving Luis Diaz. 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.”
Klopp continued, “We heard late last night about it. We spoke to Luis; he wanted to go home… Then we got the news with his mum, which is fantastic, and since then nothing really. We are obviously the first people to get involved, and we try to have knowledge of everything as much as we can, but we don’t want to disturb in any way the important people there; we just want to support, that’s it.”
In Luis Diaz’s absence, Diogo Jota took his place in the lineup and played a pivotal role by scoring Liverpool’s opening goal against Nottingham Forest. Jota led a heartfelt tribute inspired by Diaz in his goal celebration. Speaking about the situation, the Portuguese forward conveyed his sympathy, saying, “Luis was with us in the hotel, then he went home. It’s a very hard situation, and I don’t know how anyone would react if it happened to you. He was going to play. I played instead of him and I showed him his shirt to show we’re with him and we hope everything works out. It’s unimaginable to think a situation like this could happen. We can just support him and show him we’re with him.”