Trump calls for release of Utahn Josh Holt during talks on Venezuela sanctions

Utahn has been imprisoned in South America for more than a year in inhumane conditions, his mother says; Hatch calls president an "ally."

Scott Sommerdorf | Tribune file photo
Thamara Caleño and Josh Holt, who are currently jailed in Venezuela, appear in a family photo displayed at a rally on the east steps of the Utah State Capitol, Saturday, July 30, 2016.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
Josh Holt's mother Laurie Holt hugs her uncle Leonard Bell after a rally on the east steps of the Utah State Capitol that called for the release of their 24-year-old son Josh Holt, who is currently jailed in Venezuela on Saturday.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
"He's suffering right now and they won't treat him," said Laurie Holt about the condition of her son, Josh Holt, as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his prison bunk bed. With her husband Jason Holt, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, and her attorney Carlos Trujillo at her side, Holt said Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
"We do feel powerless," said Jason Holt about the condition of his son, Josh Holt, as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his prison bunk bed and the family's efforts to bring him home. With U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch by their side, Laurie and Jason Holt said their son Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on†June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Siblings Derek, Katie and Jenna Holt fear for their brother, Josh Holt, who is suffering as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his Venezuelan prison bunk bed. The family knows Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on†June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Kelly Perry tries to comfort her sister-in-law, Laurie Holt, who fears for the life of her son Josh Holt, who has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison and is now severely injured after a fall. Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Jenna Holt fears for her brother, Josh Holt, who is suffering as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his Venezuelan prison bunk bed. The family knows Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
Laurie Holt, joined by U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, makes an appeal for the release of her son, Josh Holt, who has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn."

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Siblings Derek and Katie Holt fear for their brother, Josh Holt, who is suffering as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his Venezuelan prison bunk bed. The family knows Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with.

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Scott Sommerdorf | Tribune file photo Thamara Caleño and Josh Holt, who are currently jailed in Venezuela, appear in a family photo displayed at a rally on the east steps of the Utah State Capitol, Saturday, July 30, 2016. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune Josh Holt's mother Laurie Holt hugs her uncle Leonard Bell after a rally on the east steps of the Utah State Capitol that called for the release of their 24-year-old son Josh Holt, who is currently jailed in Venezuela on Saturday. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune "He's suffering right now and they won't treat him," said Laurie Holt about the condition of her son, Josh Holt, as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his prison bunk bed. With her husband Jason Holt, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, and her attorney Carlos Trujillo at her side, Holt said Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune "We do feel powerless," said Jason Holt about the condition of his son, Josh Holt, as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his prison bunk bed and the family's efforts to bring him home. With U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch by their side, Laurie and Jason Holt said their son Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on†June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Siblings Derek, Katie and Jenna Holt fear for their brother, Josh Holt, who is suffering as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his Venezuelan prison bunk bed. The family knows Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on†June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Kelly Perry tries to comfort her sister-in-law, Laurie Holt, who fears for the life of her son Josh Holt, who has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison and is now severely injured after a fall. Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Jenna Holt fears for her brother, Josh Holt, who is suffering as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his Venezuelan prison bunk bed. The family knows Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Laurie Holt, joined by U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, makes an appeal for the release of her son, Josh Holt, who has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Siblings Derek and Katie Holt fear for their brother, Josh Holt, who is suffering as a result of his July 3rd, 6 to 8-foot fall off his Venezuelan prison bunk bed. The family knows Josh suffered a concussion and believe his back is fractured. Josh Holt has spent a year in a Venezuelan prison, where his family says he is being used as a "political pawn." Holt, a former missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Riverton native, was arrested on June 30, 2016. He had traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, a fellow Mormon he'd met online last January while looking for someone to practice Spanish with.

By Mariah Noble The Salt Lake Tribune

· July 26, 2017 10:13 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

While discussing new Venezuela sanctions in a conference call Wednesday, President Donald Trump called for the release of Utah native Josh Holt, who has been held in a Venezuelan prison for more than a year.

Venezuelan officials accused Holt of possessing illegal weapons, but his mother and others say he is innocent and has been targeted by a corrupt judicial system.

Trump said the United States is "very concerned about the situation of Joshua Holt, a young American being detained illegally by the [President Nicolas] Maduro regime for over a year now," according to notes from the White House conference call with senior administrative officials. "We once again call for his immediate release on humanitarian grounds."

Holt, a 25-year-old Riverton native, went to Venezuela to marry Thamara Caleno, whom he'd met online while trying to find someone with whom he could practice speaking Spanish.

The couple had planned to return to Salt Lake City when Caleno obtained a visa, but they were arrested June 30, 2016, after returning from their honeymoon. Venezuelan officials accused Holt of stockpiling guns and grenades in Caleno's apartment.

Holt's mother, Laurie Holt, has since reported inhumane prison conditions and adamantly advocated for his release while coordinating with Utah politicians and federal officials.

Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch thanked Trump, calling him an "ally" in the fight to bring Holt home.

"Over the last few months, I've had the opportunity to discuss Josh's case with the president, his Cabinet and several members of the Holt family," Hatch said in a written statement. "I'm deeply grateful for their commitment to justice and their willingness to help an innocent Utahn and his wife return home."

The White House call focused on the United States' commitment to impose new sanctions if Maduro follows through on plans to rewrite the country's constitution July 30.

Last week, 7.1 million Venezuelans worldwide — including more than 3,000 in Utah — voted in a referendum opposing Maduro's plan.

"The United States will not stand by as democracy is eroded in Venezuela," Trump said.

mnoble@sltrib.com

Twitter: @mnoblenews