Luis Diaz’s mother appears in public for the first time since kidnapping as hundreds take to the streets to demand dad’s release

Luis Diaz’s mother appears in public for the first time since kidnapping as hundreds take to the streets to demand dad’s release

Mark Kinyanjui 15:30 - 01.11.2023

Diaz’s father is yet to be released by kidnappers, which prompted his mother, supported by hundreds of fellow Colombians, to take to the streets in her support.

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Barrancas on Tuesday evening to demand the safe release of Luis Manuel Diaz, the father of Liverpool star Luis Diaz, after he and his wife were kidnapped on Saturday. 

Diaz's parents were snatched off the streets of their hometown in La Guajira region in Colombia by four armed men on motorcycles whilst buying watermelons at a gas station. 

Whilst Diaz's mother Cilenis Marulanda was freed later that night, Diaz Snr remains a hostage, with Colombia's police and military forces working together in a bid to bring him home safely. 

Army commandos have been sent to guard the border and prevent Diaz's father from being taken into neighbouring Venezuela, but there is a chance that he may have already been transported through the dense jungle that separates the two nations.  

The march was organised for Tuesday, with Diaz breaking his silence on social media to share the details of the gathering that would see demonstrators 'bring candles to light the light of hope' whilst urging Diaz Snr's captors to 'free him now'. 

The player himself was not able to take part in the proceedings, having been advised against returning to his home country due to concerns over his personal security. 

Reports in Colombia suggest that the Diaz family had been warned about potential threats ahead of the weekend's kidnapping. 

Leading the marchers was Marulanda, one of many wearing a white t-shirt with her husband's face printed on it. 

Those gathered carried white balloons and lighted candles as night fell. They also carried banners, emblazoned with pleas to his captors. 

Among the crowd were Alfonso Diaz, the Liverpool star's paternal grandfather, and his uncle, Gabriel, with the community later taking part in a sit-in at the end of the demonstration. 

A reward of 200 million Colombian pesos (£40,000) is being offered for information on the potential whereabouts of Diaz Snr, and search tactics by the Colombian army have been robust. 

As detailed in an update on the search, they have used 'two motorised platoons, unmanned aircraft, checkpoints, helicopters, a plane with specialised radar, and more than 120' as they continue their investigation. 

On Tuesday, Colombia's Ombudsman Carlos Camargo Assis - whose office in the past has helped mediate with kidnappers to ensure the safe return of hostages - called on the armed group to make contact with the authorities. 

“From the Ombudsman's Office we reiterate the call to the captors of the father of our beloved soccer player "Lucho" Diaz to respect his integrity and life. We also ask you to contact our regional defender teams to find a route that allows for his prompt release, safe and sound," Assis said in a statement. 

“Releasing (him) are the gestures of peace that all Colombians demand and hope for.”

Diaz did not feature in Liverpool's Sunday match-up with Nottingham Forest on compassionate grounds, and has received sustained support from the side and their coaching staff. 

After the final whistle on Sunday, Jurgen Klopp shared that the preparations for the 3-0 victory were the most difficult of his career. 

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