{"id":2437151,"date":"2025-05-20T18:27:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T22:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/venezuela-releases-air-force-veteran-detained-for-months\/"},"modified":"2025-05-20T18:27:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T22:27:45","slug":"venezuela-releases-air-force-veteran-detained-for-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/venezuela-releases-air-force-veteran-detained-for-months\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuela releases Air Force veteran detained for months"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/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%2Fvenezuela-releases-air-force-veteran-detained-for-months%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=2437151&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>Joseph St. Clair, an Air Force veteran, was released after being detained in Venezuela as November 2024. He had <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >sought mental health treatment<\/a> in Colombia before his detainment. His return was facilitated thru a diplomatic effort led by Richard Grenell, an envoy for President Donald Trump, and was linked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dutch-still-unable-to-form-a-government-after-record-breaking-226-days\/\" title=\"Dutch ...ill Unable to Form a Government After Record-Breaking 226 Days\">negotiations involving<\/a> the oil company Chevron. St. Clair&#8217;s family, who were unaware of his situation until February, expressed their joy upon receiving news of his release. St. Clair served as a language specialist in the military and struggled with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-gary-sinise-launches-new-initiative-with-home-depot-founders\/\" title=\"WATCH: Gary Sinise Launches New Initiative With Home Depot Founders\">post-traumatic stress disorder<\/a>, which prompted his search for treatment. The Foley Foundation noted that a significant number of Americans have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-launch-task-force-to-bring-home-americans-held-hostage-overseas\/\" title=\"Lawmakers Launch Task Force To Bring Home ... Held Ho...age Overseas\">wrongfully detained abroad<\/a>,with only a few being released each year.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Venezuela releases Air Force veteran detained for months<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1992064\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/detainees\/?source=pmbug.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"returned home\">returned home<\/a> Tuesday after being detained in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/venezuela\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Venezuela\">Venezuela<\/a> since November 2024 after receiving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mental-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Venezuela\">mental healthcare<\/a> in Colombia.<\/p>\n<p>St. Clair was handed over to President Donald Trump&rsquo;s envoy for special missions, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/richard-grenell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Richard Grenell\">Richard Grenell<\/a>, in a deal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/news\/nation-world\/world\/americas\/venezuela\/article306833856.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Richard Grenell\">reportedly<\/a> tied to oil giant Chevron&rsquo;s dealings in the country. The move follows another Grenell-handled release in Venezuela involving six other prisoners. During the previous deal, Grenell urged the Venezuelan government to take in deported Venezuelan nationals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3417634\/joe-biden-cancer-last-tested-psa-prostate-2014\/\">Biden last tested for prostate cancer in 2014<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/3417346\/rand-paul-exposes-federal-air-marshals-followed-tulsi-gabbard-flights\/\">Rand Paul exposes how Biden administration had federal air marshals follow Tulsi Gabbard on flights<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3417381\/brooke-rollins-chicken-campaign-uk-trade-deal-dispel-chlorine-myth\/\">Brooke Rollins previews PR campaign to UK to dispel myth of &#8216;chlorinated chicken&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>St. Clair, originally from Washington state, was a language specialist who went on four tours in Afghanistan. He suffered from what his parents said was severe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ptsd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">post-traumatic stress disorder<\/a>, which was the reason he sought mental health treatment in Colombia.<\/p>\n<p>St. Clair&rsquo;s parents, Scott and Patti, did not know their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-biden-administration-is-politicizing-the-military\/\" title=\"How the Biden Admini...ration is Politicizing the Military\">son&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s whereabouts until February, when they received a call from the Colombian Consulate seeking to inform them.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3250931\/americans-detained-russia-need-help\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"AMERICANS DETAINED IN RUSSIA NEED HELP\"><strong>AMERICANS DETAINED IN RUSSIA NEED HELP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This news came suddenly, and we are still processing it, but we are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude,&rdquo; the St. Clairs said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The Foley Foundation <a href=\"https:\/\/jamesfoleyfoundation.org\/hostage-advocacy\/hostage-report-2\/#gsc.tab=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">reported<\/a> that at least 54 Americans were wrongfully detained overseas in 2024 for an average of about six years at a time, while only 17 were released in that year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1992064\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1992064\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Venezuela frees Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair after months in detention<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3821,"featured_media":2437153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/grenell-maduro-venezuela-e1747777819869.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[45104,5485,50813,4958],"class_list":["post-2437151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-air-force","tag-detention","tag-venezuela-2","tag-veteran"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/grenell-maduro-venezuela-e1747777819869.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437151","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\/3821"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2437151"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437151\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2437155,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437151\/revisions\/2437155"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2437153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2437151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2437151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2437151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}