Joshua Holt, former U.S. political prisoner of the Nicolás Maduro regime, is suing the Venezuelan dictator before the Federal Court of Miami. Holt accuses the socialist leader of leading a criminal enterprise that kidnaps, tortures and unjustly imprisons American citizens.
"The complaint filed Thursday in Miami federal court by Joshua Holt is the latest in a string of lawsuits by Americans targeting Maduro’s government over its alleged ties to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist group," explained AP, which had access to the lawsuit.
Holt is also suing for compensation for damages he and his family suffered. They suffered during the almost two years he was in a Venezuelan prison. He is basing this on the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows American victims of foreign terrorist groups to confiscate the assets of their perpetrators.
The American traveled to Venezuela in 2016 to marry a fellow Mormon. In the lawsuit, Holt explains that he and his wife were arrested. They accused him of being a "CIA terrorist." He was subjected to inhumane conditions while in detention, including mock executions and a lack of adequate medical care, according to local Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional.
"After negotiations led by a member of Senator Bob Corker's staff, Holt was finally released in 2018," the media outlet highlighted.
Laurie Holt, Joshua's mother, passed away in 2019 due to heart disease which the family attributes to the stress caused by her son's prolonged incarceration.
