Vice President Joe Biden has reportedly agreed to petition Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to free Utahn Josh Holt from a prison after a June incarceration. Holt went to Venezuela to get married. His wife, Thamara Caleno, has also been locked up.
Holt and Caleno are accused by the Venezuelan government of espionage after automatic weapons were found in the apartment where they were staying. Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch said that Vice President Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry are working to resolve the couple’s situation.
“I have been in touch both with Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden, two of my former Senate colleagues,” Hatch said. “They’re now both aware of Josh’s situation and will be working with us to resolve this nightmare for the whole family."
At the time of his arrest, Holst became one of 12 U.S. citizens incarcerated in Venezuela. The country is currently facing shortages of basic goods and a severe economic downturn.
