Former LDS missionary Joshua Holt, wife freed from Venezuela, reuniting with Utah family at White House

Former LDS missionary Joshua Holt, and his wife, Thamy, have been freed after being detained in Venezuela for nearly two years. Photo: Facebook

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CARACAS, Venezuela, May 26, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — Joshua Holt, the former Mormon missionary been held in Venezuela for two years for allegedly hiding weapons and plotting against the government, is returning to the United States.

News of Holt’s release, along with that of his wife, was tweeted by Donald Trump early Saturday morning and confirmed in a Facebook posting by Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch’s office.

“I’m pleased that after two years of hard work, we’ve secured the release of Josh and Thamy Holt, who are now on their way home to the United States from Venezuela,” Hatch wrote.

“Over the last two years I’ve worked with two Presidential administrations, countless diplomatic contacts, ambassadors from all over the world, a network of contacts in Venezuela, and President Maduro himself, and I could not be more honored to be able to reunite Josh with his sweet, long suffering family in Riverton.”

According to Trump’s tweet, Holt and his family will be at the White House by 7 p.m. D.C. time.

“The great people of Utah will be very happy,” Trump wrote.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert also issued a statement:

Gov. Gary R. Herbert has issued the following statement following the announcement of Josh and Thamy Holt’s release from prison in Venezuela:

“Like many Utahns, I was overjoyed this morning to hear Senator Orrin Hatch’s news that after two long years, Josh Holt and his wife Thamy had been released from prison in Venezuela and are making their way home to Utah. I would like to personally thank those who have worked tirelessly to make Josh’s release possible, including President Donald Trump, Senator Bob Corker, the members of Utah’s congressional delegation and their staff. Josh’s return comes in answer to many prayers. The people of Utah look forward to welcoming him home.”

Holt, a former missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had traveled to Venezuela in 2016 to marry his girlfriend,  Thamy Candelo. They were waiting for their U.S. visas to be processed when they were detained for allegedly hiding an assault rifle and grenades in Candelo’s family apartment in Caracas.

Holt has denied any knowledge of the weapon’s stash, and claimed he was caught up in a raid aimed at anti-government rebels.

Earlier this month Holt posted a desperate message on Facebook begging for his release for a Venezuelan prison.

Help me please united states, how long do I have to suffer unjustly in this place? They want to kill me and paint the walls with my blood. I am a political prisoner and they won’t let me free. They won’t give me a true trial. The sebin has told me that as long as my government continues attacking this government and as long as Marco Rubio continues talking about me the longer that they will never let me go. People here are dying we need help please send me help please send people to save me. Please my fellow Americans don’t allow me to continue suffering in Venezuela I am not a political pawn i am a human being a child of God and I just want to live happy with my wife and children. I have NEVER done anything wrong in my life. Please help me!!

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