US citizen José Pereira, who was “wrongfully detained” in Venezuela exactly one year ago, stood just outside the White House on Wednesday to call on President Joe Biden to step up efforts to bring home Americans detained abroad.
Pereira was among executives working for the US refinery Citgo in Venezuela who were jailed in 2017 on corruption charges. He was freed as part of a prisoner swap between Washington and Caracas in October.
At an event organized by the campaign ‘Bring Our Families Home’a group created largely by the families of US citizens detained abroad, the relatives called on Biden to do more to bring their loved ones home, but also to prevent foreign governments and groups from taking hostages.
“This has become a national security problem,” Pereira said, adding that the Americans were being taken hostage no longer on the battlefield. “This practice grows and grows and grows. And this practice must end.”
The defenders of “Bring Our Families Home” They urge Biden to take action including more prisoner swaps and easing sanctions against countries that hold Americans.
Although the government does not provide figures, there are more than 60 Americans being held by foreign countries, including governments hostile to Washington such as Russia, Iran and Venezuela, according to the James Foley Foundation, named after an American journalist kidnapped and killed in Syria.
China is also holding several US citizens on charges Washington considers politically motivated.
The Biden administration has carried out two prisoner swaps with Russia and one with Venezuela. He has also secured the release of Jeff Woodke, captured by militants in Niger.
The prisoner swaps draw some criticism over whether they encourage more hostage-taking, an argument the families have flatly rejected, saying there is no evidence to back it up.
“Politics is what prevents our presidents from bringing our people home,” said Joey Reed, father of Trevor Reed, a former US Marine detained in Russia and released in a prisoner swap in April 2022. “They’re afraid that there are reprisals from the other party”.
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and activate notifications, or follow us on social networks: Facebook, Twitter and instagram.
