WASHINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) – US citizen Jose Pereira, who was “unfairly detained” in Venezuela exactly one year ago, stood a few feet from the White House on Wednesday and pleaded with US President Joe Biden to Step up efforts to bring Americans home. detained abroad.
Pereira was among executives working for the US refinery Citgo in Venezuela who were jailed in 2017 on corruption charges. He was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Washington and Caracas last October.
Speaking at an event hosted by the “Bring Our Families Home” campaign, an advocacy 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 deter “hostage-taking”. by foreign governments and groups.
“This has become a national security issue,” Pereira said, adding that the Americans were being held hostage rather than attacked on the battlefield. “This practice is growing and growing and growing. And this practice must end.”
“Bringing our families home” advocates are urging Biden to take action including more prisoner swaps and easing sanctions against countries holding American detainees.
The plight of Americans detained abroad rose to prominence last year after Russia arrested the American basketball star. Brittney Griner for drug charges. She was freed late last year in a prisoner exchange in which Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout was sent to Moscow.
Most recently, Russia has detained a US citizen and reporter for the Wall Street Journal. Evan Gershkovic on espionage charges, which he denies.
Although the United States government does not provide figures, there are more than 60 american abroad in the hands of foreign governments, including major adversaries such as Russia, Iran and Venezuela, according to the James Foley Foundation, named after an American journalist kidnapped and killed in Syria.
chinese too holds several US citizens on charges Washington considers politically motivated.
The Biden administration has conducted two prisoner exchanges with Russia and one with Venezuela. He also secured the release of another American, Jeff Woodke, who was captured by militants in Niger. Woodke met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday.
The families also repeated a call to meet with Biden, a plea many of them went unanswered for more than a year.
“He needs to meet with these families and at least call them,” said Joey Reed, the father of Trevor Reed, a former US Marine who was detained in Russia and later released in a prisoner exchange in April 2022. Reed’s son’s release came after the family met face-to-face with Biden.
The prisoner swaps sparked some criticism over whether they encourage more hostage-taking, an argument the families have strongly rejected, saying there is no evidence to back it up.
“Politics is what prevents our presidents from bringing our people home,” Reed said. “They are afraid that there will be a rejection from the other party.”
Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Washington Editing by Matthew Lewis
Our standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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