White House Welcomes Home American Hostage Josh Holt

Josh Holt, 26, an American hostage held in Venezuela, was welcomed home by President Donald Trump, family and officials at the White House.

“WELCOME HOME JOSH!” President Trump tweeted.

Mr. Holt traveled to Venezuela in the summer of 2016 to marry Venezuelan native Thamara Candelo, who he met on a website for Mormon singles. The couple had planned to return to the U.S. together after getting married, but were jailed in El Helicolde, a Venezuelan government building meant to hold political dissidents.

Venezuelan authorities claim Mr. Holt and his wife were stockpiling weapons, and have suggested they were part of a U.S. plan to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro.

However, not only do human rights groups call the charges outrageously overblown but witnesses say they saw Venezuelan police request a bribe, which the couple could not pay. Witnesses said authorities demanded $10,000 from Mr. Holt and Candelo, and they planted the weapons just before arresting them.