Received Registration Unit 01/22/2018 6:16:31 PM 5 telesurtv net/en lish/news/Venezuela-Denies- Detained- Joshua-Holts-LifeJ 1n? Danger-2017l215- 0014. Venezuela Denies Detained Joshua Holt's Life 'in Danger' Published 15 December 20 17 A witness told the Miami Herald that police were conducting door-to-door searches when they I took issue with Holt ?lming them on his mobile phone. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has denied that the life of a jailed S. citizen charged with Weapons offenses 15 in danger, accusing the United States of turning the man at the centre of a judicial case into a political pawn. Joshua Holt, a 25-. year-old forlner Mormon missionary from Utah, was arrested 18 months ago in- Caracas while waiting for a S. visa for his new Venezuelan bride, fellow Mormon Thamara Candelo, and her two young children. Police raided Candelo' apartment on June 30, 2016, later claiming they had found illegal weapons and that the couple are linked to an opposition paramilitary gang, a0cording to Pl Media, gThamar'a's mother, Maria Caleno, told NPR that she witnessed the raid and saw police of?cers slip Weapons into Holt?s luggage before declaring they had found them at the scene. A witness told the Miami Herald that police were conducting door-to-door searches when they- t_ook issue with Holt ?lming them on his mobile phone. Two hours later, masked of?cers who may have been military intelligence came back, "found" the weapons?and arrested Holt and his wife. Both were ?nally charged on Tuesday and are now awaiting trial. Posting on Twitter on Friday in respOnse to allegations by the US. State Department that Holt's detention was politically motivated, Arreaza insisted that Holt had been granted access to legal representation and that US criticism of the proceedings amounted to "political interference." "It is false that Holt-'5 life is- in danger due to lack of or insuf?cient medical attention," Arreaza wrote in his of?cial statement. "Proof of this is that on December 12, thejudge Was able to con?rm his state of health, so there are no grounds to grant a humanitarian measure. "We regret that the US. government intends to turn ajudicial case into a political issue with unspeakable purposes since, i'nthe past, similar caSes have been handled as they should be within the consular sphere by the authorities of both countries, in accordance with the respective legal procedures and without any type of con?ict. Received by Registration Unit 01/22/2018 6:16:31 PM Received by ARA RegistrationUnit 01/22/2018 6:16:31 PM "We reiterate that Venezuela complies with its international commitments, including consular access to foreign citizens in detention situations, as well as dUe process, which Is guaranteed by the constitution. "For this reason-,- we demand respect f0r Venezuelan institutions and legal processes, as well as the immediate cessation of the campaign of distortion that attacks our judicial system." On Monday, Holt's mother had released an audio recording of her son complaining of poor health, and pleaded for his release. "I'm very dizzy and I and my stomach hurts," Holt?says in the 40-sec'ond voicemail message. "It hurts bad, and I'don't know what to do. I've never felt like this before." US. State Depanment spokesman Heather Nauert said embassy personnel were prevented from observing Holt's hearing on Tuesday. "The United States remains eXtremel?y concerned f0r Mr. Holtl'shealth and welfare, which continues to deteriorate under the custody of SEBIN, the Venezuelan intelligence agency," she said in a statement?. "We call on the Venezuelan government to grant immediate consular access to Mr. Holt. We remind the Venezuelan government that pursuant to its international obligations, Venezuela must grant Mr. Holt fair trial guarantees. . . "His life should not be jeopardized under SEBIN's custody. Therefore we renew our call for Mr. Holt's immediate release on humanitarian grounds." - These materials are distributed by Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP onbehalf of the Embassy of Mexico. Additional information is on ?le with the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. - Received by Registration Unit 01/22/2018 6: 16:31 PM