Free Lucas Hunter
Lucas Hunter is a 37-year-old American who is detained in Venezuela despite never trying to enter nor wanting to go to Venezuela. The U.S. Government designated him as being wrongfully detained, and he is one of at least 7 Americans currently being held in Venezuela.
On January 7th, 2025, he was on a windsurfing trip in Colombia when the road he was on came close to the Venezuelan border. According to the Venezuelan government's own report, Lucas never intended to enter Venezuela and tried to turn around immediately when he realized he was within sight of the border. Desperate for attention from the United States Government, Venezuelan border guards coerced Lucas across the border into Venezuela.
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Who is Lucas Hunter
Lucas Hunter is a 37-year-old US-French citizen. He works in international finance. The second of four siblings, Lucas has been passionate about water sports ever since he worked as a water sports instructor in Hawaii. He’s an avid kite surfer and a huge fan of Point Break and surf legend Robbie Naish. He comes from a proud family of educators in the State of Georgia and highly-awarded US veterans who have served in World War I, the D-Day beach landing on Utah Beach in World War II, Korea, and the Vietnam Wars. Lucas never served in the military, has no political affiliation and never engaged in any rally or activism for any cause. He speaks English and French but no Spanish. His family describes him as kind, fun, happy, and full of life.
What Happened?
Lucas and his sister Sophie planned a vacation to northern Colombia for its excellent kite surfing and fantastic sightseeing. Lucas has never expressed an interest in or planned to visit Venezuela. Sophie fell ill and was unable to join him. While staying in Uribia, Lucas would take various tours with guides to explore. He was traveling alone and having a great time.
Everything changed on January 7, 2025 when he was motorcycling through Paraguachón, and the road brought him close to the Venezuelan border. He recognized it and turned to get away but was coerced by the Venezuelan border agents who crossed into Colombia to grab him. At 1:30 PM Colombia time, he sent a voice note to Sophie saying he had been, “caught by the Venezuelans, and four hours have passed since I have been here. I think they want to let me go, but I have the police, the military that are asking me lots of questions, and I think I’ll get to the end of things.” Lucas also emphasized in text messages that he did not know what was happening.
At 9:00 am Colombia time on January 8, he sent a second voice message saying, “I am still in the same place. There is immigration police involved…..They did a report with all the details, where it is written that I had no intent to enter the country, and when I saw the border, I reversed, but the military people told me to come forward. Some people are telling me I will be questioned for three days. I assume it is in Caracas. Others say that we’ll see later today. So now I’m waiting for the authorization to leave.”
That is the last anyone has heard anything about Lucas
Would You Know This Was A Border Crossing?
You can’t see any flags, guards in uniform, and barely any signage. There isn’t even a gate or a barrier arm like you’d expect in a parking garage, let alone a border crossing.
Anybody could have made the same mistake Lucas did. Even if you get close and read Spanish, the only clue initially is this sign in Spanish that translates to “Happy travels, return soon,” with no mention of where you would be traveling to. Even right at the crossing, there is only a sign that says “Migration Colombia.” There is no obvious mention of Venezuela or its flag.
This is how close Lucas had to get to realize it was a border crossing. By that time, it was too late.
The Venezuelan border guards stepped across the border, grabbed Lucas, and took him into their investigation facilities. He hasn’t been seen since.
What Does This Mean for Lucas?
Venezuela has a history of wrongfully detaining U.S. citizens. The U.S. and other countries denounced President Maduro’s refusal to accept his July 2024 election loss. Since then, Venezuela has detained at least 13 Americans and dozens of other foreigners at record rates to obtain political concessions from the U.S. and other governments. Given that Lucas had no intention to enter Venezuela, nor did he have political or military motivations, it is very possible that Venezuelan officials noted Lucas speaking English with the Colombian border police and took him as part of the directive to assess and detain as many foreigners as possible. Despite repeated local and international requests, the Venezuelan authorities have neither confirmed nor denied Lucas’s fate, whereabouts, well-being, nor location. The U.S. government brought home 6 Americans on January 31st. The momentum must continue to bring Lucas and the other 6 Americans home.
Lucas’ Story In The News
On January 7, 2025, in a remote area close to the border, Lucas saw a checkpoint in the distance, and reversed, he told Sophie. But it was too late. He said he “got kidnapped, abducted by Venezuelan military forces … who took him across the border,” she recounted to CNN.
“He said, ‘I’m sending you this pin location from where I’m detained’,” Sophie said. “He was telling me, ‘It’s been four hours. I don’t understand what’s going on. I don’t speak Spanish. But they are writing reports saying that I had no intention to cross.’”
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated nine Americans in Venezuela as wrongfully detained. According to Sophie, her brother is one of the nine.
Prior to his designation, Sophie said she had been working with the US Embassy in Bogota. Now that he has been deemed wrongfully detained, his case will be handled by the office of the US Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. The designation provides the US government more tools to try to negotiate his release. It also opens up access to resources for families of the wrongfully detained.
“It is unacceptable that the regime has arrested and jailed Americans under questionable circumstances and without respect for their rights,” a State Department spokesperson said. “All Americans unjustly detained by the Maduro regime must be released immediately.”
WASHINGTON, March 7 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday determined that there are nine wrongfully detained Americans in Venezuela, a State Department spokesperson said on Friday, calling for President Nicolas Maduro's government to release them immediately.
"It is unacceptable that the regime has arrested and jailed Americans under questionable circumstances and without respect for their rights," the spokesperson said.
"All Americans unjustly detained by the Maduro regime must be released immediately. The United States continues our efforts to secure the release of any remaining Americans unjustly detained by the regime in Venezuela."
Lucas Hunter, a 37-year-old French-American citizen, was among those determined to be wrongfully detained, his sister, Sophie, said in a statement on Friday.
"Venezuela has been put on notice," she wrote.
Hace 58 días que Lucas Hunter un estadounidense y francés de 36 años, que no habla español, fue detenido por funcionarios venezolanos en el paso fronterizo entre Colombia y Venezuela, “aunque nunca intentó entrar ni quiso ir a Venezuela” ha dicho su familia a través de redes sociales tratando de obtener información pública ya que no la han logrado por vía de los organismos del régimen de Nicolás Maduro.
Lo que ha relatado su familia es que el 7 de enero de 2025, Hunter “se encontraba haciendo windsurf en Colombia cuando la carretera por la que circulaba se acercó a la frontera con Venezuela”, fue entonces cuando funcionarios venezolanos lo obligaron a ingresar a territorio venezolano.
Ese 7 de enero Lucas iba en moto por Paraguachón y la carretera lo acercó a la frontera con Venezuela, cuando al percatarse “dio media vuelta para alejarse, pero fue coaccionado por los agentes fronterizos venezolanos que cruzaron a Colombia para atraparlo”, relata la familia del joven.