Call for Release of American Hostages in Venezuela

A former American hostage, who spent time under Venezuela’s harsh regime, made an appeal on Monday to Delcy Rodriguez, the de facto leader, urging her to free five American citizens currently being held in Caracas. This, he suggested, would demonstrate her willingness to engage with the U.S.

Matthew Heath, a Marine Corps veteran, asked, “I would like to request that interim President Delcy Rodriguez release the five Americans immediately as a sign of goodwill,” during an interview.

Heath, wrongfully imprisoned under President Nicolas Maduro, was freed in 2022. He highlighted how Americans are often treated as pawns in political disputes involving the U.S.

“There isn’t a proper justice system there,” he stated. “Judges follow orders or risk facing imprisonment themselves.”

According to other former prisoners, Maduro’s government has detained over 40 Americans throughout his administration, often fabricating charges and subjecting them to severe forms of torture.

A released detainee, who returned to the U.S. in 2022, expressed that seeing Maduro prosecuted in a U.S. court would be gratifying. “He will receive a fair trial,” he remarked, “something we were denied.”

As Maduro’s rule wanes, there is a unique chance for Rodriguez to demonstrate a shift from past practices, yet the former detainees cautioned that authoritarian governments seldom release hostages without receiving something in exchange.

“Hope springs eternal,” he added. “But history tells us that these regimes rarely let go of their captives without a trade.”

Nevertheless, he argued that freeing Americans now might pave the way for better relations and help Venezuela move past years of oppression and global isolation. “If she is serious about advancing Venezuela, this is the moment to act,” he concluded.