- President Donald Trump announced Saturday that a Venezuelan prison would be freeing an American hostage and his wife after two years.
- The hostage, Josh Holt, is from Utah and has been in prison since 2016 after traveling to Venezuela to marry his wife Thamy, whom he met online.
- Holt was arrested when police said they found him stockpiling weapons.
- Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch posted a statement about the news that detailed “two years of hard work” that went into securing the Holts’ release.
An American held in Venezuela will return to the US Saturday evening after two years in a Caracas prison, according to President Donald Trump and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch.
In a statement posted to Twitter Saturday morning, Trump said the prisoners, Josh Holt and his wife Thamy, would arrive Saturday evening with their family at the White House, making the people of Utah, Holt’s home state, “very happy!”
Good news about the release of the American hostage from Venezuela. Should be landing in D.C. this evening and be in the White House, with his family, at about 7:00 P.M. The great people of Utah will be very happy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2018
Hatch confirmed the release in a statement on Twitter and thanked Venezuelan officials and Trump’s and former President Barack Obama’s administrations for their cooperation over the past two years to free Holt.
BREAKING: Senator Hatch has secured the release of Utahn Josh Holt from Venezuela. #utpol pic.twitter.com/q9bPIVHgmk
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) May 26, 2018
The Holts have been held hostage in Venezuela since 2016 after Holt traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamy, a fellow Mormon he met online. He was arrested when police said they found him stockpiling weapons.
Earlier this month, Holt made headlines when he posted a video to Facebook pleading for help from Trump and American people to get him out of the Caracas prison.