Anaheim, CA – Today, the Biden administration announced the release of ten Americans detained in Venezuela, including six who were wrongfully detained. Among these is Eyvin Hernandez, a United States citizen and Los Angeles County public defender who was wrongfully detained by the Venezuelan regime in 2022.
U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), who led a bipartisan resolution calling for his immediate release, celebrated the news.
“Eyvin has been wrongfully detained by the Venezuelan regime for more than a year – it’s past time to bring Eyvin home. Thank you to the teams at the State Department Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and the National Security Council for making this a reality. This is indeed the best Christmas present we can ask for! I stand with his family and community who advocated for his return, and I look forward to learning more about the terms of the agreement,” said Congresswoman Kim. “I have been proud to work with Rep. Kamlager-Dove to demand his release and join Eyvin’s family and friends in celebrating his return home.”
“It is a miracle that Eyvin is back with his family and friends at last, and I know they are embracing him closely today,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “The Bring Eyvin Home Coalition’s tireless work and the work of the State Department made it possible for this angel to make it safely back to the City of Angels. Just this month, I met with Eyvin’s family to discuss his case, and I have been proud to make his release an important priority for my work on behalf of CA-37. I want to thank my House and Senate colleagues for their support of my legislation earlier this year, which helped draw much-needed attention to this case. I am overjoyed that this this beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend has made a safe return, and we will continue to be here to support him as he recovers from his time in detainment.”
Rep. Kim also urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken for an update on Eyvin Hernandez’s status in an April 2023 Foreign Affairs Committee hearing and steps the State Department is taking to ensure his safe return home.
Background:
In March 2022, Eyvin Hernandez went on a two-week vacation to Colombia. A friend invited him to Cucuta, Colombia, and when asking for directions, they were told to walk down a dirt road and saw no signs indicating entry to Venezuela. A man asked him to pay a $100 bribe to cross to Venezuela, to which Eyvin told him he was an American and didn’t want to enter. After not paying the bribe, he was accused of being a spy, kidnapped, and has since been held in a maximum-security military prison under charges by the Venezuelan government of criminal association and conspiracy. The U.S. classified Eyvin as “wrongfully detained in late October 2022.
Eyvin is a dearly loved son, brother, uncle, colleague, and friend. Born in El Salvador in 1978, Eyvin came to the United States as a toddler with his family fleeing the Civil War and grew up in the Los Angeles Area. He attended El Camino College before transferring to UCLA, where he received his bachelor’s and law degree. Eyvin joined the L.A. County Public Defender’s Office in 2006, where he has worked throughout his career in addition to his involvement in many community organizations.
