Liverpool soccer star Luis Díaz’s father, who was kidnapped by a Colombian guerrilla group 13 days ago, was released on Thursday and handed over to United Nations representatives and the Catholic Church in Valledupar, Colombia, according to the country’s Episcopal Conference. Luis Manuel Díaz and his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, were kidnapped in their hometown of Barrancas by armed members of the National Liberation Army, but Marulanda was rescued within hours of the abduction. Díaz scored a goal for Liverpool FC on Sunday and raised his shirt to show the message, “Freedom for Papa,” during the celebrations. According to the BBC, the athlete’s father was traveling by military helicopter and would undergo a medical examination before being reunited with his family. In a statement, the Colombian Football Federation thanked the national government, military, and police that handled the release.
