Luis Manuel Díaz, father of Liverpool and Colombian National Team player Lucho Díaz, has been released after being kidnapped by the ELN guerrilla group for 13 days in the jungles of La Guajira, Colombia.

The release was carried out with the support of the United Nations, which was delegated to oversee the operation because it is the guarantor in the peace negotiation between the ELN and the Colombian government.

The release of Manuel was announced on Thursday by popular Columbian journalist, Vicky Davila via her verified X account.

“Blessed be God! What a joy that Luis Manuel Diaz, father of Luis Diaz, is free and returns to his family.

What great pain and happiness at the same time. The nightmare ends, the torture ends. They get back together.

Lucho you did it!!! You will have your dad again. The world is happy for you and your family @LuisFDiaz19,” she wrote.

Manuel was kidnapped on October 12, 2023, when he and his wife stopped to buy watermelons in the municipality of Barrancas.

The criminals took them away in his car, with a motorcycle escort.

However, the road was difficult and, under pressure from the authorities, the criminals blew out a tire and abandoned the vehicle. Díaz’s wife was rescued at that time.

The heavily armed criminals stole two other motorcycles and headed towards the border with Venezuela.

However, they were cornered by the authorities and abandoned their motorcycles and took to the trails in the Serranía del Perijá mountain range.