Posted on 06/25/2016 8:48:09 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Francisco Marquez Lara and his friend, Gabriel San Miguel were arrested on Sunday.
A Del Mar family is fighting for their son’s freedom after they say he was taken as a political prisoner in Venezuela.
Francisco Marquez Lara is a dual citizen of the United States and Venezuela. He and his friend, Gabriel San Miguel were arrested on Sunday.
Now, his parents, Maria-Luz Lara and Ricardo Marquez are on a mission to free their son and his friend from jail.
Francisco’s mother spoke exclusively to NBC 7 on Friday about their fight and the emotional toll it has taken on them.
“I have to say, I broke. I couldn’t stand it, this is so unfair,” Maria said.
She told NBC 7, her son is a graduate of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and works as a lawyer and an activist. He was also the Chief of Staff to the Mayor of El Hatillo in Venezuela.
At the time of their arrest, Francisco and Gabriel were traveling through Cojedes to get recall signatures to oust President Nicolas Maduro, who is facing backlash over inflation and food shortages.
They were halted at a checkpoint and arrested for carrying political pamphlets and $3,000 worth of Bolivars, the Venezuela currency.
“We’re in dictatorship with facade of democracy. There is no media,” Maria said, speaking of the Venezuelan government.
The money was being used to help fund their mission.
But despite the hardship of being away from her son, Maria says she is proud of him.
“We come from a family of three generations of fighting against dictatorships,” she said. “He inherited that thirst for making things right.”
Maria says Francisco and Gabriel’s initial court appearance was cancelled without explanation and they don't have access to anyone, including lawyers and family. Both men also keep getting moved to different prisons.
She says they are really worried and that Francisco’s safety is not guaranteed.
Maria is scheduled to fly to Venezuela Saturday in hopes of being able to free her son.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said they are aware of the reports of Francisco and Gabriel’s arrest.
"The Department of State takes its obligation to assist U.S. citizens abroad seriously. We provide all possible consular assistance whenever a U.S. citizen is detained abroad," he said. "As in any country where a U.S. citizen has been detained, we expect the Government of Venezuela to accord any U.S. citizen the full extent of his rights to due process under international and Venezuelan law."
But Francisco's family says the Venezuelan government is not doing that.
Live by the dual, die by the dual.
Del Mar, where the average home is $2 million. Ransom opportunities for sure.
““We’re in dictatorship with facade of democracy. There is no media,” Maria said, speaking of the Venezuelan government.”
Are you sure she wasn’t talking about the United States?
Our government doesn’t even recognize dual citizenship; other governments do.
Yeah that was a real smart thing to do in a country that does not honor freedom of speech. You would think this would open the eyes of liberals, but of course it won't.
They have my prayers. They are fighting a good fight against autocratic socialism - something we are endangered of progressing to.
IOW, they are being held until soetoro bails the country out of it’s economic collapse.
“”The Department of State takes its obligation to assist U.S. citizens abroad seriously””
The State Department takes seriously its obligation to make serious statements about assisting U.S. citizens abroad seriously. That’s the extent of their serious concern! Seriously! Why don’t they all just go home and let us write their lines for them?
Doesn’t this story remind you of the movie, “Missing” from the early eighties? Jack Lemon and Sissy Spacek?
Not to be heartless, but another lefty liberal poking the socialist bear and being eaten.
Why go to a country where you have no rights and then pick a fight with the government.
Makes no sense, unless you are a safe-space snowflake that believes you are special because you are a graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, work as a lawyer and be an ACTIVIST, all the while being Chief of Staff to the “Popular Will” party Mayor of El Hatillo in Venezuela.
Reminds me of Benghazi.
How American a citizen is he, if he was working for a foreign government official?
Yes, but you do it smartly. . .not like he did (Post 12).
“The Department of State takes its obligation to assist U.S. citizens abroad seriously”
Unless you are in Benghazi
feh...
Exactly
Go to places under fascist control and expect reasonable treatment? Not too smart.
Yeah I put this with the dumb kid who got his butt jailed in North Korea years ago. Or years ago, the brat who got caned for littering. Too bad, so sad, you can be a lesson for other dumb American liberal kids who think they can get away with the same sh!t overseas.
Burn a flag here, our soldiers and veterans have to act like Frenchmen and watch passively at the open displays of treason. Burn a flag elsewhere and if you’re LUCKY they’ll disperse you with riot police and throw your arse in prison...if you’re not lucky, they’ll march in troops with flamethrowers.
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