US State Department’s Shannon in Venezuela as Vatican Talks "Frozen" Will Holt be freed? State Department’s Shannon in 5th Venezuela visit By Carlos Camacho Latin American Herald Tribune November 23, 2016
CARACAS -- United States Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon is in Caracas as Venezuela's Opposition says that talks with the government are "frozen" after government officials failed to attend meetings Tuesday.
And the mother of Josh Holt, a U.S. Mormon missionary jailed in Venezuela, is hoping that the visit secures her son’s release this time around.
Diplomatic sources in Caracas confirmed to the Latin American Herald Tribune that Shannon was in country after Twitter reports of his arrival and the State Department spokesperson later announced it after the initial version of this story had gone to press.
"Under Secretary Shannon traveled to Caracas as part of our ongoing effort to support the dialogue process and underscore our support for the Venezuelan people. Yesterday, he met with Foreign Minister Rodriguez, and plans also to meet with members of the Opposition, Dialogue mediators, and representatives of civil society,” said State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner on Wednesday afternoon.
The Latino television station said Shannon was going to meet with representatives of embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as well as with the Opposition, separately, as Vatican-sponsored dialogue between those two parties seemed to be unraveling.
Diplomatic sources who confirmed that Shannon was in Venezuela declined to give additional details on the envoy’s schedule.
Speculation is rife on social media that Shannon will try and get arrested Latter Day Saints Church elder Joshua Holt released.
“Yes I knew he (Shannon) was there (Caracas). I pray that it happens. please if you hear anything let me know. I just can't seem to stop crying,” Holt’s mother, Laurie, told LAHT.
Holt is awaiting trial on weapons charges and connection to a murder for hire. His Venezuelan wife, Tamara, is also a defendant in the same case. Tamara and Josh were arrested inside her Caracas apartment, during their Venezuelan honeymoon, in a much-questioned raid during in which several suspected criminals were killed by police. In an interview earlier this year with LAHT, Holt’s family from Utah insisted on the elder’s innocence.
Besides the Holt case, this is the first Shannon visit to Venezuela since the conviction Friday by a jury in a Federal Court in New York of two of President Maduro’s nephews on charges that they conspired to smuggle 800 kilos of cocaine into the U.S. in a multi-million dollar drug deal. There are speculative reports that the "narconephews" -- as they have been dubbed, may be negotiating to testify against the brother of Cilia Flores, President Maduro's wife, showing how high the drug trafficking is in the regime.
Holt’s mother, Laurie, told @LAHT that she feared her son Josh (who was arrested months after Maduro’s nephews) was being used as leverage by Venezuela to secure the release of the two members of the Venezuelan First Family.
Likewise, Opposition activists have suggested Maduro backed away from the talks after the conviction of the nephews and the National Assembly discussion of the scandal.
Government officials failed to show up at two meetings Tuesday night.
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