{"id":186092,"date":"2021-03-02T05:14:50","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T10:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=186092"},"modified":"2021-03-02T05:14:57","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T10:14:57","slug":"father-of-former-marine-imprisoned-in-venezuela-pleads-with-biden-for-safe-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/father-of-former-marine-imprisoned-in-venezuela-pleads-with-biden-for-safe-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Father of Former Marine Imprisoned in Venezuela Pleads With Biden For Safe Return"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffather-of-former-marine-imprisoned-in-venezuela-pleads-with-biden-for-safe-return%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=186092&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The father of a former Marine\u00a0being detained and tortured in Venezuela is pleading with the Biden administration to ramp up efforts to return\u00a0his son home.<\/p>\n<p>Matthew John Heath, a 39-year-old\u00a0Knoxville resident,\u00a0has been imprisoned by the communist Maduro government since October. The Venezuelan regime accuses Heath of acting on behalf of the CIA to destroy oil refineries and foment public unrest. Heath and his legal team pleaded not guilty to such charges, saying that evidence of such accusations was planted on him after his arrest. Robert Heath<strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>says he has not heard from his\u00a0son\u00a0since September and wants more attention on his son\u2019s case from a national audience and the Biden administration alike.<\/p>\n<div class=\"posts-content__category-widget md:hidden -ml-4 -mr-4 my-8 px-4 py-6 bg-gray-100\">\n<h4 class=\"mt-0 text-red-600 font-medium font-sans uppercase\">Recent Stories in Biden Administration<\/h4>\n<ul class=\"list-none p-0\">\n<li class><a class=\"text-black block mb-3 pb-3 border-b border-white\" href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/father-of-former-marine-imprisoned-in-venezuela-pleads-with-biden-for-safe-return\/\"><strong>Father of Former Marine Imprisoned in Venezuela Pleads With Biden For Safe Return<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li class><a class=\"text-black block mb-3 pb-3 border-b border-white\" href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/becerra-declined-to-bring-humanitarian-aid-on-1996-cuba-trip\/\"><strong>Becerra Declined to Bring Humanitarian Aid on 1996 Cuba Trip<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li class><a class=\"text-black block mb-3 pb-3 border-b border-white\" href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/national-security\/biden-state-department-nominee-is-a-defender-of-china-propaganda-program\/\"><strong>Biden State Department Nominee Is a Defender of China Propaganda Program<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s depressing for us here at home that we aren\u2019t getting that recognition for what\u2019s happened to Matthew and others. We haven\u2019t seen any response to\u00a0it,&#8221;\u00a0Heath said.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>&#8220;I just don&#8217;t know what it would take to get that. I don&#8217;t know what else for a guy that\u2019s been held and tortured to no end and is going to be tried and found guilty.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Tennessee native has not been allowed to communicate with the outside world with the exception of one slip of paper, fished from a dark cell floor by his legal team, which reads, &#8220;don\u2019t WORRY. Han Solo always wins,&#8221; a message that Robert Heath said was intended to uplift the spirits of the former Marine&#8217;s son.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1451374\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"width:640px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1451374 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/unnamed-1-1024x798-1.png\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"499\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\" style=\"width:640px;padding: 5px\">Credit: Givesendgo.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Heath\u2019s attorneys at the CASLA Institute, an international human rights group,<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/matthewbelongshome.blogspot.com\/p\/special-updates.html\">said<\/a>\u00a0the Maduro regime has subjected Heath to brutal living conditions.\u00a0A recent press release from CASLA alleged that the former Marine has been tortured with electric shocks, asphyxiated with plastic bags, and threatened with rape and death. Venezuelan military agents also confined Heath to a small cell\u2014dubbed the &#8220;Doll Box&#8221; by his attorneys\u2014on two separate occasions during his prison stay.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;U.S. citizen Matthew Heath deserves a public trial that respects all fair trial guarantees,&#8221; a State Department spokeswoman said. &#8220;We will continue to monitor Mr. Heath&#8217;s case closely and remain in close contact with his family and legal representatives.&#8221; The U.S. embassy in Colombia returned requests for comment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sean McFate, a Georgetown University professor and veteran, said Heath\u2019s case has more to do with foreign policy than any personal decisions made by Heath.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Heath is a victim of geopolitics; his case is tragic,&#8221; McFate said. &#8220;I highly suspect that the evidence is planted and that this is a show trial. This is just one more way for Maduro to get attention and to also do it for his own domestic political support\u2026. U.S. veterans are particular targets because they can claim that veterans are mercenaries sent by the CIA to topple their government through regime change.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a Feb. 24 court appearance, Heath pleaded not guilty to terrorism, treason, and other charges. Heath\u2019s father is now asking the State Department to do much more to advance his son\u2019s case. The Biden administration\u2019s approach thus far has\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/StateDeptSpox\/status\/1363907064867741699?s=20\">consisted<\/a> of one public statement, which affirms the need to protect Heath\u2019s due process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There\u2019s no true outcome in the court system that\u2019s going to benefit Matthew in any way,&#8221; the elder Heath said. &#8220;Our State Department is following a line of due process, but there is no due process here. It just scares the crap out of me.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Biden administration thus far has spoken extensively about the need to return detained Americans home from countries such as Iran, Venezuela, and Russia. The administration also retained Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, a Trump administration appointee who led a historically successful effort to bring Americans detained abroad home. Heath is one of nine Americans known to be held by the Maduro government. The Trump administration was able to <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/national-security\/trump-administration-finds-historic-success-rescuing-american-hostages\/\">secure<\/a> the release of one American citizen from Venezuela in 2018 after nearly two years in the communist regime&#8217;s custody.\u00a0The State Department, however, has not announced any moves toward bringing detained Americans back from overseas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heath\u2019s father said he would like to see decisive action taken by the Biden administration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;If the government doesn&#8217;t force something by being much stronger and stricter on their actions, then negotiation is the only other option,&#8221; Heath said. &#8220;When you sit down and think about it, this could be years and years\u2026. At this point what difference does it make? Not antagonizing them has not worked.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Venezuelan embassy did not return a request for comment.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"my-8 hide-print\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1526555381173-4\" class=\"mobile-250 desktop-90\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The father of a former Marine\u00a0being detained and tortured in Venezuela is pleading with the Biden administration to ramp up efforts to return\u00a0his son home. Matthew John Heath, a 39-year-old\u00a0Knoxville &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2274524,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/unnamed-1-1024x798-1.png","fifu_image_alt":"Father of Former Marine Imprisoned in Venezuela Pleads With Biden For Safe Return","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-186092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/unnamed-1-1024x798-1.png","fifu_image_alt":"Father of Former Marine Imprisoned in Venezuela Pleads With Biden For Safe Return","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186092"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186092\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2274524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}