Colombians, including the Arsenal and Brighton star, have called for Luis Diaz’s match against Brazil to be suspended until his father is released.
Liverpool winger Diaz has missed Manchester United’s last two games after his parents were kidnapped in Colombia. Both parents were abducted from their home country on October 28 by four armed men, namely members of the National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN), with the group now confirming that it was behind the kidnapping. His mother, Silenis Marulanda, has been released, but the whereabouts of his father, Luis Manuel, are unknown.
Colombia is demanding that its World Cup qualifier against Brazil be postponed until the kidnappers carry out their reported plan to free Diaz’s father. Colombia’s ambassador to the UK, Roy Barreras, has made it clear he is in favor of canceling the November 17 games. .Barreras rallied about 100 of his countrymen to support the campaign.
They include Brighton Women’s star Jorelyn Carabali and Arsenal U-20 goalkeeper Alexey Rojas. In a video previously posted byBarreras left an emotional message with the photo, calling Diaz by his popular nickname, Lucho. “We demand from London that Lucho Diaz’s father be released by November 17 and that Colombia not play a qualifier against Brazil until they are released,” he said.
