2013: US Citizen Tim Tracy was Imprisoned for 42 Days

Tim Tracy was an independent American filmmaker who was in Venezuela as an accredited observer of the April 14 Presidential election.[2] Tracy was filming a documentary on political divisions in Venezuela. He interviewed government supporters and members of the opposition.

On April 24, Tracy was arrested at Simon Bolivar Airport in Caracas as he was about to board a plane to Miami. He was charged with funneling funds to members of the far right to cause violent actions on the street and create a climate of chaos following the defeat of Henrique Capriles in the Presidential election.[1]Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez said that Tracy had become close to a group of students involved in protests of the election results and that he had received money from nongovernmental groups and passed it on to them.[3]  His arrest was ordered directly by President Maduro who appeared on Venezuelan TV and said that he ordered Tracy’s arrest who he accused of “financing violent groups.” [4]

Venezuelan filmmakers, writers, journalists and intellectuals, wrote an open letter to the Venezuelan government demanding Tracy’s release. [1] President Obama called his arrest “ridiculous.”[1]

After his election as President in April, Maduro sent overtures to the Obama Administration to improve relations. Foreign Minister Elias Jaua wanted to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry at an OAS Meeting in Guatemala in June.

In the morning of June 4, Maduro ordered the expulsion of Tracy and he was put on a plane to Miami. Kerry called Tracy’s release “ a very positive step” and met with Jaua that night [5].


   

1.    Huffington Post, Who Speaks for Tim Tracy? June 3,2013

2.    BBC, Conspiracy charges for US filmmaker held in Venezuela, April 28, 2013

3.    New York Times, Venezuela Says U.S. Citizen Plotted Unrest, April 25, 2013

4.    CNN, Venezuela Accuses American Filmmaker of Instigating Unrest, April 27, 2013

5.    New York Times, Kerry Meets with Official of Venezuela to Set Talks, June 5, 2013.

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