The Colombian government have released a statement to the National Liberation Army (ELA) after their kidnapping of the father of Liverpool winger Luis Diaz.

It's now been made public that members of the ELA are holding Luis Manuel Diaz on the border with Venezuela - which is close to the Diaz family home.

The Colombian government are in constant contact with the ELA and have now released a public message to the group:

"The delegation of the National Government at the Peace Dialogue Table with the National Liberation Army, ELN, informs public opinion that:

"1. Today we have officially learned that the kidnapping perpetrated last October 28, in Barrancas, department of La Guajira, of which Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda, father and mother of the football player Luis Fernando Diaz, were victims Marulanda, was perpetrated by a unit belonging to the ELN. Although Mrs. Marulanda was released a few hours later, the player's father has been kidnapped for five days.

"2. As a delegation of the National Government for peace talks with the ELN, we express all our solidarity with Luis Diaz, his family, with the entire country and with the millions of followers of the player in the world.

"3. The ELN demands that you immediately release Mr. Luis Manuel Diaz, and we remind you that it is your entire responsibility to guarantee his life and integrity.

"4. We remind the ELN that kidnapping is a criminal practice, violating the International Humanitarian Law, and that it is their duty in the development of the current peace process, not only to stop executing it, but also to eliminate it forever.

"5. As part of the development of the Ceasefire agreement, our delegation will present this case to the current Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, and will carry out all necessary actions to achieve the immediate and guaranteed release of the life and integrity of Mr. Diaz."