Guerrilla group ELN kidnapped the father of soccer player Luis Diaz in the north of Colombia and are holding him hostage, according to the government.
The chief negotiator in peace talks, Otty Patiño, said in a statement that the ELN kidnapped Luis Manuel Diaz and his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, in the town of Barrancas on Saturday.
Diaz’s mother was released a few hours after the kidnapping, but the soccer player’s father continues to be held captive by the guerrillas.
“We demand that the ELN immediately release Mr. Luis Manuel Diaz,” the peace negotiator said in the press statement.
We remind the ELN that kidnapping is a criminal practice, in violation of International Humanitarian Law, and that it is their duty in the development of the current peace process, not only to stop carrying it out, but also to eliminate it forever.
Peace negotiator Otty Patiño
Patiño added that the government delegation in the peace talks will do everything in its power to secure the safe return of the soccer player’s father in coordination with the commission in charge of monitoring possible violations of a ceasefire that took force in August.
According to newspaper El Tiempo, the ELN has begun coordinating the release of the soccer player’s father.
The guerrilla organization that was created in the 1960’s has been involved in the kidnapping of civilians for extorsion purposes for decades.
As part of the ceasefire that is meant to facilitate peace talks, the ELN is expected to suspend all acts of aggression against civilians.