Arrr! A scurvy Los Angeles matey, who be a lawyer, be locked away in Venezuela for spyin'. The US be feelin' the heat to do somethin'!
2023-07-25
Arr, ye scurvy politicians in Washington be hollering for the liberation o' a Los Angeles attorney, held captive in the treacherous land o' Venezuela. Methinks they be wantin' to save their own hides, for the pirate's code states, 'No man be left behind'!
Congressional lawmakers are rallying for the release of Eyvin Hernandez, a Los Angeles-based attorney who has been detained in Venezuela for over a year. Hernandez, who works for the Los Angeles County public defender's office, was arrested in March 2022 after inadvertently entering Venezuela. He is now being accused of being a spy. In response, U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, has authored a resolution urging the Biden Administration to secure Hernandez's release.Hernandez's family explains that he had traveled to the Colombia-Venezuela border with a Venezuelan friend who needed her passport stamped in Colombia. However, they took a wrong turn and found themselves on the Venezuelan side of the border. Hernandez was then approached by an armed man who demanded $100. Unable to pay, he was hooded and detained. Initially charged with criminal association and conspiracy, Hernandez has since been held in custody.
In a jailhouse recording, Hernandez expressed his disappointment in his government's lack of support during his ordeal. He faces the possibility of a 16-year prison sentence in Venezuela. Kamlager-Dove's resolution is set to be considered in the coming week, and she is hopeful that it will contribute to securing Hernandez's release.
The State Department has been contacted for comment on the matter. The situation highlights the importance of support and intervention for citizens who find themselves in vulnerable situations abroad.