Luis Diaz’ wife Gera Ponce shares touching prayer dedicated to kidnapped father-in-law as agonising wait continues
THE wife of Luis Diaz has shared an emotional prayer for her kidnapped father-in-law as the family is still waiting for his return.
It’s been 12 days since the Liverpool star’s dad, Luis Mane Diaz was abducted by the guerrilla rebel group ELN at his hometown in Barrancas.
Diaz’s desperate family has issued touching pleas to the kidnappers and even begged them to offer proof the 58-year-old is still alive.
The ELN admitted snatching Diaz was a “mistake” and promised to release him as soon as possible but so far Diaz remains in their hands.
The footballer’s wife Gera Ponce shared a heartfelt prayer on her Instagram account followed by a photo of her father-in-law.
The prayer reads: “Nothing bothers you, nothing scares you, everything passes.
“God does not move, patience reaches everything.
“Whoever has God, doesn’t need anything. Only God is enough.”
Gera had previously made another heartbreaking plea to the ELN kidnappers after she shared photos of the couple’s daughter’s birthday.
She wrote: “Today our great love turns 2 years old, a princess who fills our hearts with hope.
“The best gift for her would undoubtedly be to have Grandpa Mane by our side again and we trust in God that it will be so.
“God bless you, keep you and allow you to always grow surrounded by love, my princess. Happy Birthday! WE LOVE YOU.”
58-year-old Mane remains hostage after he was abducted by the guerrilla group from a petrol station in Barrancas, in La Guajira on October 28.
The rebel group promised to free Diaz as soon as possible and Colombian authorities said the operation for his release has already begun.
But it is believed the delay may be caused by a row over the ransom that has broken out between cartel boss Patricia Nevada and other leaders of the Northern War Front.
According to Colombian intelligence, the row has broken out between female guerrilla fighter Patricia Nevada, the person in charge of the group’s finances and another chief using the alias Ronal, Semana reports.
Ronal, operating from a camp called The Donkey, is said to refuse to hand over Diaz until a payment of “a large sum of money” is paid.
Previously ELN blamed the delay in the release of Diaz to the large military and police presence in the area.
Following their demands for “security guarantees,” around 200 men scouring Colombia‘s Perija Mountains for Diaz were withdrawn to the town of Barrancas.
But even after Colombian authorities agreed to the kidnappers’ demands, the group has not kept its part of the deal so far.
Diaz’s family begged kidnappers to offer proof he is still alive as his brother said: “What we would most like is to have that proof by seeing him and knowing what situation our brother, our relative, our papa, our son is in because my father is here and wants to see his son.”
Luis Alfonso Diaz, the footballer’s cousin, told Colombian state broadcaster RNC: “We are asking the ELN to send us proof of how Luis Manuel is now so we can have some peace of mind.”
The Liverpool star broke his silence with an emotional social media appeal.
The 26-year-old, referring to his father by his nickname “Mane” wrote on Instagram: “This is not Luis Diaz the player speaking.
“Today it is the son of Luis Manuel Diaz speaking.
“Mane, my dad, is a hard-working family man, the pillar of our family and he’s been kidnapped.
“I ask the ELN for the prompt release of my father, and I ask international organisations to work together for his freedom
“Every second, every minute, our anguish grows.
“My mother, my brothers and I are desperate, distressed and without words to describe what we are feeling.
“This suffering will only end when we have him back home.
“I beg you to release him immediately, respecting his integrity and ending this painful wait as soon as possible.
“In the name of love and compassion, we ask you to reconsider your actions and allow us to have him back.
“I thank Colombians and the international community for the support received, thank you for so many demonstrations of affection and solidarity in this difficult time that many families in my country find themselves experiencing.”