The kidnapping of Luis Diaz’s parents, Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda, in Barrancas, Colombia last year was a story that shocked the football world to its core.
Diaz’s father was held captive for twelve days by the National Liberation Army of Colombia (Spanish: Ejercito de Liberación NacionalELN) while Diaz’s mother was released a few hours after the kidnapping.
It later emerged that the kidnapping had been facilitated by a man named Yerdinson Bolivar, who was a close friend of the Diaz Marulanda family.
Bolivar, who goes by the alias ‘Arenca’, used his close relationship with the family to plan the kidnapping. Colombian outlet El Espectador report that ‘Arenca’ met with members of the National Liberation Army to give them details of Diaz’s parents’ routines and movements. Before the kidnapping, he accompanied them to a fruit stand in the town of Barrancas, where armed men were waiting to capture them.
‘Arenca’ has now been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for his participation in the plot. In addition, he must pay a fine equal to 234 current legal minimum monthly wages and is banned from holding public office for 56 months.
‘Arenca’ publicly apologized to Diaz’s parents and Luis Manuel Diaz publicly accepted the apology last month, saying: “I accept Mr. Yerdinson’s apology… These are mistakes, but trying to make amends is the best thing you can do can do, that’s all.”
