Overview

• Lucas Hunter, a Franco-American financial analyst from London, was arrested on January 7 near the Colombia-Venezuela border while traveling for kitesurfing.
• Hunter’s family claims he was mistakenly detained after inadvertently approaching the border and attempting to turn back, with Venezuelan border agents crossing into Colombia to apprehend him.
• The U.S. State Department has classified Hunter as ‘unjustly detained,’ and his case is tied to broader diplomatic tensions between Washington and Caracas.
• Venezuela has been accused of using foreign detainees as political leverage, with at least five Americans, including Hunter, reportedly held in the country.
• Hunter’s family has received no communication from him since January 8, heightening concerns over his safety and well-being.