Four Men Arrested in Abduction of Luis Diaz’s Father in Colombia

Accident – Death – Obituary News : These are the first pictures of the four men who have been arrested in connection with the abduction of Luis Diaz’s father. The men, who are facing charges of kidnap and theft, are due to appear in court later today in the northern Colombian city of Riohacha.

One of the arrested men, Yerdinson Bolivar Bolivar, also known as ‘Arenca’ or ‘Areca,’ was revealed to be a trainer at Manuel Luis Diaz’s football school in his hometown of Barrancas. Colombian authorities have accused him of using his position at the school to keep surveillance on Luis Diaz’s father and gather information about his movements.

A chilling picture published by Colombian media outlet Semana shows ‘Areca’ walking behind Mr Diaz in a shoe shop, with Mr Diaz seemingly unaware of his presence. It is unclear when the photo was taken.

The other three suspects have been identified as Marlon Rafael Brito Bolivar, Brayan Javier Morales Sanjuan, and Andrys Alcides Bolivar Bolivar. Marlon and Brayan are believed to have been the individuals who rode the motorbikes used in the abduction of Mr Diaz and his wife, Cilenis Marulanda. Marulanda was rescued shortly after the incident.

Andrys Alcides Bolivar Bolivar, described as the leader of the operation, is a currency exchange worker. He is accused of organizing the handover of Mr Diaz to the left-wing ELN insurgency group, who later claimed responsibility for the abduction. Colombian police have referred to this case as an example of ‘criminal outsourcing.’

Local reports suggest that the ELN may have used Andrys’ gang, known as Los Primos or ‘The Cousins,’ to divert attention from their involvement in the crime. Los Primos is said to specialize in drug trafficking and is believed to be a sub-division of the notorious Gulf Clan.

The Gulf Clan’s former leader, Dairo Antonio Usaga, also known as Otoniel, was recently sentenced to 45 years in a US prison for drug trafficking charges. Reports suggest that a police officer who played a key role in Otoniel’s capture helped identify the four men involved in Mr Diaz’s kidnapping.

Despite footage showing the arrest of four individuals, Colombia’s Attorney General Francisco Barbosa only mentioned three of the men and made no reference to Andrys Alcides Bolivar Bolivar.

During the operation to arrest the suspects, several weapons were seized. Colombian police chief William Salamanca stated that the operation, named ‘Operation Freedom,’ allowed them to identify the alleged perpetrators, including the criminal group ‘Los Primos.’

The National Liberation Army (ELN), a leftist anti-government group, is believed to have over 2,000 fighters and militants based in the Colombian countryside. They claimed responsibility for the abduction of Mr Diaz.

Speaking about the arrests, Francisco Barbosa stated that they had fulfilled their promise to capture the kidnappers within 72 hours of Mr Diaz’s release. The court hearing for the four men is scheduled for today, where they will face charges related to the abduction of Luis Diaz’s father..