Luis Diaz’s brother Jesus, 19, plays for his Colombian second-division side just 48 hours after their parents were kidnapped… as police identify two suspects but are no closer to finding his missing father

• Authorities in Colombia are still searching for their father, Luis Manuel Diaz
• Luis Diaz has remained in England as he awaits developments from back home

Luis Diaz’s brother Jesus has played for his Colombian second-division side for the first time since the kidnapping of their parents.

The Diaz family has been rocked by the shock incident, where armed men abducted their mother and father while they were at a petrol station in the small town of Barrancas on Saturday.

Their mother Cilenis Marulanda was freed from the kidnappers, but the whereabouts of his father, Luis Manuel, remain unknown.

Luis Diaz, 26, has remained in England for ‘security reasons’, according to reports, but his 19-year-old brother Jesus played for Barranquilla FC in the Colombian second division just 48 hours after his parents were kidnapped.

Jesus Diaz started Barranquilla’s 1-0 defeat to Cucuta Deportivo on Monday, with his coach, Nelson Florez, insisting he wanted to play despite the trauma in his family.

Luis Diaz’s brother Jesus, 19, played for his Colombian second-division side on Monday

 Liverpool star Luis Diaz has remained in England and won’t travel home to Colombia

The search for Luis Manuel Diaz continues with authorities monitoring jungle regions near the border with Venezuela 

It has since emerged that police have identified two of the four men involved in the kidnapping but are no closer to finding his missing rather.

Luis Diaz found out about the kidnapping on Saturday evening, less than 24 hours before Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Diaz did not play any role in the 3-0 win over Forest, which Jurgen Klopp called ‘the most difficult circumstance’. 

He left the squad and is being looked after by members of Liverpool staff as he awaits news from back home. 

Latest reports from Colombia claim Luis Manuel had been warned of potential threats against him prior to the kidnapping.

Diaz on Tuesday broke his silence since the kidnapping as he urged followers to march to call for the release of his missing father.

He shared a post on Instagram of a planned march in Colombia, featuring a photo of Luis Manuel.

The post invited the ‘whole community’ and urged them to ‘bring your candle to light the light of hope, with the image ending with the urge to the captors to ‘free him now’.

Colombian authorities have sent army commandos to guard the border and prevent Luis Manuel Diaz being taken into neighbouring Venezuela. 

The Colombian army issued an update that the search for Diaz’s father continues with the support of ‘two motorised platoons, unmanned aircraft, checkpoints, helicopters, a plane with specialised radar and more than 120 men,’ Semana reported.

On Monday, it was reported that border crossings between Colombia and Venezuela located inside dense jungle were being monitored by army commandos as the search mission continues on a large scale.

A reward of around £40,000 has been offered for information about the kidnapping

The star’s mother (pictured in 2019) has been rescued, but his father is believed to be still being held captive, with authorities continuing the search 

Colombia’s national police director Gen William Salamanca joined the search on Monday

Reports in Colombia said police are not ruling out the possibility Diaz’s father may already be inside Venezuela even though crossing through thick jungle will have been hazardous.

More details of the kidnapping have emerged recently, with Semana’s report claiming Diaz’s parents were buying watermelons when they were taken by four armed men on motorcycles.

After the police enacted a ‘padlock’ operation to find the couple, the assailants reportedly abandoned Diaz’s stolen car and continued on three motorcycles, two of which were taken from civilians.

Diaz’s mother was freed from her ordeal with a reward of 200 million Colombian pesos [around £40,000] offered by the authorities for information.

Diaz remains in the thoughts of his team-mates as they won 3-0 without him on Sunday 

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