An American man has spent the last 18 months in a Venezuelan prison due to weapons charges and must remain to stand trial according to a judge’s ruling, dashing his family’s hopes to have him back by Christmas.
Joshua Holt went to Venezuela to marry a fellow Mormon he had met online. Soon after, however, the couple was suddenly arrested on allegations that Holt was stockpiling weapons in his wife’s family apartment.
Formally charged by Judge Ana Maria Gamuza, Holt and his wife were jailed immediately, and the U.S. top diplomat was denied access to the preliminary hearing. Many, including Washington, believe Holt’s case is being politicized by President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government to retaliate against U.S. economic sanctions – a fact further strengthened by the constant rebuttal of seemingly every U.S. emissary sent to deal with the situation.
The head of the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela was made to wait outside the courtroom for hours after being denied access to proceedings in a direct violation of a variety of rights. Gamuza’s ruling to have Holt stand trial also seem to stem following Holt’s mother releasing an audio recording in which her son’s complaining about the lack of medical care.
“I’m very dizzy, and I can’t think, and my stomach hurts,” he says. “It hurts bad, and I don’t know what to do. I’ve never felt like this before.”
Holt’s mother’s communication with her son was immediately cut off following the release of the messages. She’s currently, and very understandably, grief-stricken.
Holt and his wife Canelo are both being held in one of the top prisons of Venezuela. A spiral-shaped Caracas prison where political opponents of the current president Maduro are held called “The Helicoide.”
Interestingly, the one responsible for Holt’s legal defense is being paid by Wilmer Ruperti, a powerful and wealthy Venezuelan shipping magnate with close ties to Maduro. He is also funding the case of first lady Cilia Flore’s two nephews, who stand on separate narcotics charges and are scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday.
This article was inspired by NBC NEWS // ‘Totally devastated,’says mom of Utah man Josh Holt, ordered to stand trial in Venezuela