The Roman Catholic bishop who rescued Luis Diaz’s dad has revealed he has requested him to ‘marry him once more’ after dropping his marriage ceremony band throughout his 13-day kidnap ordeal.
Monsignor Francisco Ceballos mentioned Luis Manuel Diaz requested him to conduct the ceremony by which he’ll renew his marriage ceremony vows to Cilenis Marulanda.
The pair had been taken hostage collectively on October 28. Cilenis was deserted on the roadside close to her house city of Barrancas shortly afterwards however her 58-year-old husband was taken in direction of the Perija Mountains on Colombia’s border with Venezuela and remained prisoner along with his left-wing ELN hostage-takers till Thursday.
He’s now resting after being reunited along with his household and chatting with his Liverpool striker son, who missed soccer motion firstly of the kidnap drama however got here off the bench on Sunday to attain a last-gasp equaliser for Liverpool in opposition to Luton.
Monsignor Ceballos, who described on Thursday how he was the primary particular person within the humanitarian group to see Luis Manuel Diaz alive after going to his rescue, mentioned: ‘He informed me I needed to marry him once more as a result of he had misplaced his ring.
Luis Manuel Diaz will renew his vows along with his spouse Cilenis Marulanda after dropping his marriage ceremony ring in 13-day kidnapping ordeal
Monsignor Francisco Ceballos (proper) was among the many first individuals to see the daddy of Luis Diaz after he was launched by ELN
Diaz Snr was kidnapped almost two weeks in the past in his hometown of Barrancas in Colombia
‘He mentioned he needed to resume his marriage ceremony vows.’
Saying the father-of-four had solely formalised his relationship with Luis Diaz’s mum final yr, he pledged: ‘We will certainly do it each time they need.’
Revered Colombian media outlet Semana claimed after the footballer’s dad was freed that his hostage-takers had stolen all his valuables earlier than handing him over.
It attributed blame to the ‘males on the motorbikes’ concerned within the abduction of Luis Manuel Diaz and his spouse as they purchased water melons at a petroleum station, saying that they had taken the footballer coach’s ring, chain and a bracelet.
Semana added: ‘They weren’t simply costly objects. Above all that they had nice sentimental worth.’
Monsignor Ceballos didn’t go into the circumstances of how Luis Manuel had managed to change into parted along with his marriage ceremony ring. It’s also recognized he suffered a knee damage after coming off the bike certainly one of his captors was using.
The bishop had beforehand revealed to a Colombian radio station Mr Diaz had been compelled to stroll day and evening throughout his kidnap ordeal.
Talking concerning the emotional second he met him as he was freed, he mentioned: ‘It is a very emotional second while you see an individual who has been disadvantaged of his liberty in entrance of you.
‘I met him virtually on the trail he was coming alongside.
The Monsignor informed reporters that Diaz Snr had been compelled to stroll day and evening by captors
The Roman Catholic bishop was a part of humanitarian coalition – together with members of the UN – that helped faciliate Diaz Snr’s launch
Marulanda was additionally taken hostage by the organisation however was launched hours after the pair had been snatched off the road
‘I used to be the primary one who noticed him. I hugged him and he started to cry. He was very emotional and really drained due to the lengthy walks he needed to do.
‘He informed me he needed to stroll repeatedly for 2 days plus one other 4 days when he was kidnapped.
‘Of the 13 days he was kidnapped he was strolling for six days day and evening.’
Requested if footballer coach Mr Diaz was conscious of the extraordinary police and army operation to snare his captors and rescue him whereas he was nonetheless a hostage, Monsignor Ceballos defined: ‘What he informed me was that he sensed the helicopters very close to, that they had been very shut by.
‘He in fact felt afraid as a result of when the military is finishing up these search operation and the guerrilla insurgents try to cover, the second comes when the one that’s been kidnapped is in danger.
‘He was involved there was going to be a confrontation.’
The discharge occurred after a number of earlier hopes of a rescue didn’t materialise. The left-wing rebel group ELN admitted accountability for the kidnap late final week. It mentioned a regional unit known as the Northern Warfare Entrance carried out the crime.
The kidnapping of civilians has been a standard apply of the ELN, a Marxist-Leninist group which was based in 1964 by radical Catholics impressed by Cuba’s communist revolution.
It was behind a automobile bombing in January 2019 at a police academy in Bogota which killed 21 individuals and injured 68 others, making it one of many deadliest assaults ever within the Colombian capital.
Fears grew earlier this week after the ELN delayed Diaz Snr’s launch however Thursday noticed the Liverpool star’s father lastly freed
Diaz Snr regarded visibly moved by his ordeal as he spoke throughout a press convention on Friday
Marulanda (left) spearheaded plenty of group demonstrations calling for her husband’s launch
Peace talks have been occurring between the ELN and the Colombian authorities since March 2020 when the guerrilla group declared a unilateral ceasefire, though it has continued to take harmless individuals hostage and make ransom calls for.
Mr Diaz insisted after his launch no ransom cash had been handed over.
His spouse made an impassioned plea to the abductors to set him free after he was snatched. She mentioned as she took half in a second march on Sunday in Barrancas to demand his freedom: ‘I would like them to launch him now, that the people who find themselves maintaining him free him now again to me, as a result of we wish to have him again house.’
She broke down in tears after talking and was comforted by a relative.