Four men have been arrested in Colombia in connection with the abduction of Luis Diaz’s father. The suspects, including a former trainer at Diaz’s football school, face charges of kidnap and theft. Colombian authorities believe the men were part of a covert operation to surveil Diaz’s father and gather information on his movements. The suspects are due to appear in court today. Gerard Couzens reported
These are the initial photographs of the four individuals who have been apprehended in connection with the abduction of Luis Diaz’s father. The charges they face include kidnapping and theft, and a court hearing is scheduled to take place later today in Riohacha, a city in northern Colombia. Recent reports have revealed that one of the suspects, Yerdinson Bolivar Bolivar, known by the aliases ‘Arenca’ or ‘Areca,’ was previously employed as a trainer at Manuel Luis Diaz’s football academy in Barrancas, his hometown. Authorities in Colombia have accused him of intentionally seeking employment at the academy in order to keep close watch over the father of the Liverpool star, with the objective of gathering information about his daily activities as part of a covert operation. A disturbing image published by the Colombian media outlet Semana depicts ‘Areca’ walking behind Mr Diaz, who appears to be oblivious to the presence of the other man, inside a shoe store. The four suspects are set to appear in court on Sunday, and their identities have been revealed through photographs released by the police. One of these images, released by Colombian law enforcement, shows one of the arrested individuals ‘stalking’ Luis Manuel Diaz inside a shoe store as they meticulously document his movements. Following his release after 12 days in captivity, Diaz Sr. received medical attention while his family and friends anxiously awaited his return. The photograph was taken at an undisclosed time. The other two suspects, Marlon Rafael Brito Bolivar (alias Marlon) and Brayan Javier Morales Sanjuan (alias Brayan or Negro), are believed to have been the motorbike riders who facilitated the abduction of Mr Diaz and his wife Cilenis Marulanda. Marulanda was subsequently rescued. The fourth suspect, Andrys Alcides Bolivar Bolivar, is employed in the currency exchange industry and is alleged to be the mastermind behind the operation. It is believed that he orchestrated the handover of Mr Diaz to the left-wing ELN insurgency group, who later claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The authorities have described this case as an example of ‘criminal outsourcing.’ Local reports have suggested that the ELN utilized Alcides’ gang, known as Los Primos or ‘The Cousins,’ to divert attention away from their own involvement in the crime. However, the prosecution has also referred to the group as Los Primates or ‘The Primates.’ Los Primos reportedly specializes in drug trafficking and is said to be a subdivision of the notorious Gulf Clan criminal organization, led by Dairo Antonio Usaga, also known as Otoniel. Usaga was recently sentenced to 45 years in a US prison for his involvement in high-level drug trafficking. Reports from Colombia indicate that a police officer who played a crucial role in Otoniel’s capture in October 2021 assisted in identifying the four individuals arrested in connection with Luis Manuel Diaz’s kidnapping. Although video footage released by the Colombian media showed the apprehension of four men, Colombia’s Attorney General Francisco Barbosa only mentioned three of the individuals and did not mention the alleged ringleader. Several weapons were seized during the operation to detain the suspects. Police Chief William Salamanca stated that Operation Freedom was initiated on the day of the kidnapping, which led to the identification of the suspected intellectual and material perpetrators, including the criminal group known as Los Primos, who employ the method of ‘criminal outsourcing.’ Salamanca further stated that four individuals allegedly involved in the abduction of Luis Manuel Diaz had been captured. One of the videos released by the police shows one of the suspects, wearing a white vest top, being informed of his rights while in custody. Attorney General Francisco Barbosa announced on Saturday, just two days after the release of Luis Diaz’s father, that the kidnappers had been apprehended, fulfilling their promise to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice..