By Miguel Rapetti
This Tuesday, the popular outcry continued in Colombia in reference to the kidnapping of the father of Liverpool’s Premier League player, Luis Díaz, with players, clubs and fans asking the National Liberation Army (ELN) to grant the man his freedom.
Several displays of support were seen in different parts of Colombia and one of them was the match between Junior de Barranquilla and Atlético Huilia, where the players came out with a banner that included a strong message for the release of Mr. Luis Manuel Díaz and in support of the 7 of the Colombian team.
“Freedom for dad! Fuerza Lucho” and “Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. We are here for you! #FuerzaLucho”, were the pair of texts that were seen at the Metropolitan Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla.
Before the match between Junior and Atlético Huila, the message of support arrived for Luis Díaz, who is waiting for the release of his father, Mane Díaz 🕊️
FREEDOM FOR ALL KIDNAPPED! pic.twitter.com/Ho5BoODIjo
— elambito (@elambito) November 8, 2023
The first message refers to the message that the footballer showed on Sunday, when in the 95th minute he scored the goal of the 1-1 draw for his team, Liverpool, against Luton Town in England and celebrated it with the message “Freedom for Dad ” printed on his T-shirt.
Likewise, forward Dayro Moreno, scorer for Once Caldas, scored the goal with which his team beat Santa Fe 0-1 in Bogotá and celebrated the goal by raising the number 7 shirt, the number that Díaz uses with the British team and with the Colombian team.
On social networks, other Colombian teammates of Díaz have expressed their solidarity with the Liverpool winger, as is the case of experienced midfielder James Rodríguez, from Sao Paulo.
“We are with you @LuisFDiaz19 in these difficult times. We ask for respect and solidarity… Freedom for your father and all the kidnapped people!” Rodríguez expressed on the social network X this Tuesday.
For his part, Falcao García, Rayo Vallecano gunner, said in X: “We demand the release of Luis Manuel Díaz, father of @LuisFDiaz19 and all those kidnapped.”
This Tuesday, the inhabitants of Barrancas, the Liverpool player’s homeland, are between hope and anguish due to the delayed release of their father.
Since last week the ELN leadership recognized the kidnapping, perpetrated on October 28, and announced that it “directed the release of Lucho’s father” to its Northern War Front, considering it “a mistake,” the athlete’s family and The country in general hopes that it will be returned as soon as possible.
However, the passage of days without news worries the country and the authorities, who on Monday recalled some 300 police and military personnel participating in their search from the rural area of Barrancas, after the ELN attributed the delay to the presence military in the surroundings of Barrancas.