Caracas, Venezuela — An American man detained during a wave of unrest in Venezuela has been freed after being held for five years. Todd Leininger, 37, was arrested in April 2014 on what his family describes as trumped-up charges.

Leininger was released Thursday. A senior Venezuelan official characterized the release as a gesture aimed at improving U.S. relations, which have been especially strained since the U.S. chose to rebuke Nicolas Maduro and recognize National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as the country's president. Maduro suspended diplomatic talks in January.

The U.S. State Department called Leininger's release "overdue," noting a Venezuelan court ordered him freed in November. A department spokesperson issued a statement in March noting concerns against the Maduro regime regarding adequate nutrition being provided to detained U.S. citizens.

"Maduro loyalists continue to prevent our prisoners' families and attorneys from assisting with basic access to food and medicine, while toying with their mental health and general wellbeing," Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino noted.

Venezuelan officials accused Leininger of aiding the opposition during anti-government protests. He was arrested in San Cristóbal while he and his wife were visiting his sister-in-law.

The Florida native is one of several Americans who have found themselves behind bars in Venezuela as the nation's political and economic crisis deepens.

Joshua Holt was released after being held for over two years. Five Citgo oil executives who are U.S. citizens remain detained.</s>Friday, U.S. Senator Todd Young released a statement following the release of Indiana’s Todd Leininger after being imprisoned in Venezuela since 2014:

“After five years, I am relieved that Todd has finally been allowed to return to the United States, and I look forward to welcoming him home to Indiana. It is shameful that it took the Venezuelan authorities almost a year to recognize the rule of law and release Todd as ordered by a Venezuelan court. My prayers are with Todd and his mother Barbara as they are reunited. My office will continue to provide any assistance needed as they work to move past this difficult period.”

Leininger was imprisoned in Venezuela back in 2014 during a wave of civil unrest in the country. Venezuelan officials accused Leininger of aiding opposition during an anti-government protest.

He was released on Thursday, April 25th, and arrived in Miami, Florida, Friday morning.

Senator Young outlined his concerns in a letter to Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump, and Vice President Pence. While those efforts were underway, Young introduced the Venezuela Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance, and Development Act, to hold Venezuelan officials accountable for the continued detention of Leininger and many others.</s>An American who had been imprisoned in Venezuela since 2014 has finally been released, his family have confirmed in a statement.

Todd Leininger, 37, from Bloomington, Indiana, was originally arrested on charges of attempted murder and arms trafficking five years ago, during a visit to the country with his wife, who is of Venezuelan origin.

With the US Supreme Court calling the charges ‘trumped up’, a Venezuelan judge eventually called for Leininger’s release last November after all counts were dropped.

But authorities ignored the order, and he remained incarcerated. They accused him of aiding the opposition during anti-government protests.

However, on Friday Barbara Leininger, Todd’s mother, released a statement on the Facebook page ‘BringToddHome’, to reveal she was en-route to finally pick her son up from the airport.

‘Over the past five years, all I have hoped and worked for is Todd’s safe return home,’ she said. ‘This was a long and often heart-breaking journey, but I am so grateful to be reunited with my son and to have him back home in Indiana.’

His release came at amid ever-heightening tensions between President Trump and the Venezuelan government, led by Nicholas Maduro.

The Trump administration has placed socialist leader Maduro under tight sanctions, for his part in cracking down on political opposition and his blockade of international humanitarian aid.

Along with 50 other countries, the US backs the leader of the National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the country’s legitimate president.

The State Department has now confirmed Leininger’s released, calling it ‘overdue’.

‘We welcome the release of U.S. citizen, Todd Leininger. The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State. Mr. Leininger’s release was overdue,’ the statement said.

‘A Venezuelan court ordered his release in November 2018, and since that time we have been pressing for his return to the United States.’

Leininger was released from a prison in the country’s capital city of Caracas on Wednesday, before being flown to Miami on Thursday for an emotional reunion with his family.

During his time in prison, Leininger is said to have suffered ‘mental and physical illnesses and extreme conditions throughout his imprisonment, including a lack of food and medicine,’ his family told ABC News.

Conditions inside his prison cell were said to have significantly worsened by the country’s escalating economic and political crises.

Leininger was among a number of other American citizens, who the US government say are being wrongly detained under Maduro’s reign.

While we welcome today’s news on Todd Leininger, we remain concerned about other Americans in prison in Venezuela,’ the State Department added. ‘We continue to call for their immediate release.’

Joshua Holt was released after being held for over two years. Six Citgo oil executives who are U.S. citizens remain detained.</s>US man released after 5 years in Venezuelan jails

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — An American man detained during a wave of unrest in Venezuela has been freed after being held for five years.

Todd Leininger, 37, was arrested in April 2014 on what his family describes as trumped-up charges. He was released Thursday.

A senior Venezuelan official characterized the release as a gesture aimed at improving U.S. relations.

The U.S. State Department is calling Leininger's release "overdue," noting a Venezuelan court ordered him freed in November.

Venezuelan officials have accused him of aiding the opposition during anti-government protests.

The Florida native is one of several Americans who have found themselves behind bars in Venezuela as the nation's political and economic crisis deepens.

Joshua Holt was released after being held for over two years. Five Citgo oil executives who are U.S. citizens remain detained.</s>CARACAS/WASHINGTON — A U.S. citizen arrested in Venezuela in 2014 on weapons trafficking and attempted murder charges his family called "trumped-up" was released this week, his family said in a statement Friday.

Todd Leininger, 37, was arrested in western Tachira state where he and his Venezuelan wife were visiting his sister-in-law, Reuters reported at the time. Tachira was then the focus of deadly anti-government protests, and authorities said he was among 58 foreign "mercenaries" detained.

His release comes despite sharply deteriorating U.S.-Venezuela ties. In January, President Nicolas Maduro announced he was breaking off diplomatic relations after the United States recognized National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate president.

Washington withdrew all remaining diplomatic personnel last month, as Venezuela suffers an economic crisis that has led to food and medicine shortages and prompted more than 3 million people to emigrate. Maduro, a socialist, calls Guaido a U.S. puppet seeking to oust him in a coup.

In its statement, Leininger's family said he was moved from prison to prison in Venezuela and that prison officials "refused to comply" with orders for his release before he was freed on Thursday and flown to Miami.

"This was a long and often heart-breaking journey, but I am so grateful to be reunited with my son," said his mother Barbara Leininger, who lives in Bloomington, Indiana.

Neither Venezuela's Information Ministry nor its chief prosecutor's office responded to requests for comment.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a U.S. Department of State official called Leininger's release "long overdue," saying a Venezuelan judge had granted him parole in May 2018 due to good behavior and that a court had ordered his release in November.

"Since that time we have been pressing for his return to the United States," the official said, adding that the U.S. government was still concerned about six executives of U.S. refiner Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, who have been jailed in Venezuela since 2017.

Venezuelan rights groups have frequently reported delays in authorities' compliance with court orders for prisoners to be released.

Last year, Venezuelan authorities released an American missionary who had been held on weapons charges since 2016.

Speaking to Reuters in 2014, Barbara Leininger said her son had "some psychological issues" and had admitted to shooting a man in self-defense during what he described as an "altercation."</s>By The Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — An American man detained during a wave of unrest in Venezuela has been freed after being held for five years. Todd Leininger, 37, was arrested in April 2014 on what his…

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — An American man detained during a wave of unrest in Venezuela has been freed after being held for five years.

Todd Leininger, 37, was arrested in April 2014 on what his family describes as trumped-up charges. He was released Thursday.

A senior Venezuelan official characterized the release as a gesture aimed at improving U.S. relations.

The U.S. State Department is calling Leininger’s release “overdue,” noting a Venezuelan court ordered him freed in November.

Venezuelan officials have accused him of aiding the opposition during anti-government protests.

The Florida native is one of several Americans who have found themselves behind bars in Venezuela as the nation’s political and economic crisis deepens.

Joshua Holt was released after being held for over two years. Five Citgo oil executives who are U.S. citizens remain detained.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>American Todd Leininger has been released by Venezuela's government and returned to the United States, his family said Friday.

"Over the past five years, all I have hoped and worked for is Todd’s safe return home. This was a long and often heart-breaking journey, but I am so grateful to be reunited with my son and to have him back home in Indiana," his mother Barbara Leininger said in a statement.

Leininger had been held for five years, accused of arms trafficking and attempted murder. The U.S. called the charges trumped up.

His release comes at a moment of heightened tension between the Trump administration and the government of Nicolas Maduro. The socialist leader is under tight U.S. sanctions for his crackdown on political opposition, seizure of power and blockade of international humanitarian aid. The U.S. and over 50 other countries back the leader of the National Assembly Juan Guaido as the legitimate president.

The State Department confirmed Leininger's release, telling ABC News that it was "overdue."

Leininger was released from prison in Venezuela's capital of Caracas on Wednesday, and flown to Miami on Thursday, where his family will meet him.

While imprisoned, "he endured mental and physical illnesses and extreme conditions throughout his imprisonment, including lack of food and medicine, made even worse in recent months by the escalating crisis in the country," according to his family.

As many as a dozen other U.S. citizens are detained in Venezuela by the Maduro government, according to a State Department official. A spokesperson who said the U.S. "welcomes" Leininger's release called on Maduro to release the others.

"We remain concerned about other Americans in prison in Venezuela," they said in a statement. "We continue to call for their immediate release."

That was said to be complicated by the withdrawal of U.S. personnel from Venezuela. In March, the U.S. embassy in Caracas closed its doors and all American personnel returned to the U.S. Without consular officials on the ground to advocate for prisoners' release, their freedom was increasingly in jeopardy.

Among those still imprisoned are six employees of the U.S. oil company CITGO, who the State Department said "have been wrongfully detained for more than a year." CITGO is owned by Venezuela's state oil company PdVSA.

For Leininger, there were multiple false starts in securing his release. In May 2018, a judge granted him parole for good behavior, but he was never released. Last November, a court ordered his full release, but it never came.

At the time, he recorded a video message for his mother Barbara, telling her, "I love you, and I think I'm going to be coming home very soon, Mom. It's really, really exciting. It's very unsure though because we're here in Venezuela... You know how it's been for me."

In her statement Friday, Barbara Leininger thanked the State Department and members of Congress, as well as the Swiss embassy. Switzerland is currently the protecting power for the U.S. in Venezuela, looking after its citizens and embassy now that U.S. diplomats are gone.

This is a developing news story. Please check back in for updates.</s>MIAMI - A police officer was injured Thursday afternoon in a car crash in Miami, authorities confirmed.

The crash was reported in the area of Douglas Road and Loquat Avenue.

Miami Fire Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll said the officer is stable.

No other details were immediately released.</s>The Cleveland Browns tapped the University of Miami once again when they selected Miami native Sheldrick Redwine in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

And the Browns captured the moment when they called Redwine in a video posted to the team’s official Twitter account.

Cleveland general manager John Dorsey is shown on the phone call to Redwine first, noting the Browns’ roster ripe with talent from the U.

“We must have five or six guys from The U on our team,” Dorsey says in the video. “We’re probably going to add another one here. You ready?”</s>You've got multiple chances to see some legends IRL this weekend. National treasure Whoopi Goldberg will take the stage at the Hard Rock Event Center in Hollywood this Friday, Method Man and Redman will rock the Venue in Fort Lauderdale Saturday, and English songwriter and producer Imogen Heap will take you back to your Garden State days during her Sunday-night performance at the Fillmore. Check out some up-and-comers too when Cuban singer Danay Suarez performs at the Seminole Theater in Homestead, and the New World Symphony plays its final Wallcast concert of the season.

Here are the best events happening in Miami this weekend.

The comedy icon Whoopi Goldberg has been the center of movies and TV shows such as Sister Act and The View. Now she's taking center stage at the Hard Rock Event Center this Friday evening. In addition to talking politics daily on The View, she's recently lent her voice to Descendants 2 and The Stinky & Dirty Show and appeared in Instinct and Random Acts of Flyness. Whoopi continues to do it all. 8 p.m. Friday at Hard Rock Event Center, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. Tickets cost $45 to $130 via ticketmaster.com.



Do some neck stretches — you're gonna need 'em. This Friday, the Headbanger's Bowl will take over Churchill's, loaded with three stages of goodness. Slated to perform are 1000 Pounds of Thrust, Death of a Deity, Sun City Riot, Immoral Orchestra, Mind Virus, and other brilliantly named bands. In honor of the recent 4/20 weekend, there will be a $100 blunt-rolling contest too. Get stoked — and toked? 9 p.m. Friday at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; churchillspub.com. Admission costs $10.



John Joseph has had one helluva life. Most folks know him as the lead singer of one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time, the Cro-Mags. The dude has also overcome an abusive mom, escaped harmful foster situations, survived a shooting and stabbings, and has completed more than ten Ironman events. He'll discuss his life and outlook with a Miami audience this week. 7 p.m. Friday at Sacred Space, 105 NE 24th St., Miami; consciouscityguide.com. Tickets cost $25.

A Latin-reggae spectacle is set to go down in Wynwood. Puerto Rico's Cultura Profética, Venezuela's Rawayana, and Argentina's Los Cafres will rock Mana. The three bands share nearly 70 years in the music biz and dozens of albums. If you had to choose one album to jam to (which is basically like choosing a favorite child), Los Cafres' 2004 smash LP, ¿Quién da Más?, is a classic. 7 p.m. Saturday at Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd St., Miami. Tickets cost $50 to $90 via eventbrite.com.

Our idiot politicians continue to debate how much of a border wall to build. But there's one wall in Miami Beach we can all get behind: the giant wall of the New World Center, where you can check out a live simulcast of the New World Symphony's performance with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and world-famous pianist Yuja Wang. The concert will be projected on the huge wall overlooking SoundScape Park Saturday evening. It's known as a WallCast, and it's the last one you can catch this season. 8 p.m. Saturday in SoundScape Park, 400 17th St., Miami Beach; nws.edu. Admission is free.



Music. Culture. Art. And cocktails too? Yes, please. You can get it all at Doral Art & Sip. The shindig will go down the fourth Saturday of each month at CityPlace Doral and is an awesome opportunity to enjoy art displays, live painting, tunes, and other diversions. You'll do it all to a backdrop of beats by DJ Mezmriz. This month's featured artists include David Banegas, Miriam Wimmer Stranberg, Alejandra Estefania, and GottheMojo. 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at CityPlace Doral, 8300 NW 36th St., Doral; cityplacedoral.com. Admission is free.

It's the event Fido has been waiting for. Bo's Dog & Pet Fest, happening all weekend in Coconut Grove, will be loaded with 75 pet exhibitors, training demos, arts, crafts, and some A/C stations for when the heat gets hairy. Of course your well-behaved pets are invited. You'll want to adorn your fur-baby in the finest threads for the best-dressed pet contest. And maybe you'll want to match your animal for the master/pet look-alike contest too. 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 2895 S. Bayshore Dr., Coconut Grove; miamipetfest.com. Admission is free.



It's true that Cuban singer and poet Danay Suarez is a Latin Grammy winner. But that fact doesn't quite capture the damn-near-spiritual experiences she crafts for audiences when she hits the stage. This Saturday, she'll be joined by Islamorada-based guitarist David Feder at the Seminole Theater in Homestead. The concert is part of Afro Roots Fest's 21st season. 8 p.m. Saturday at Seminole Theatre, 18 N. Krome Ave., Homestead; seminoletheatre.org/afro-roots-fest. Tickets cost $25.

Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day 2019. And South Florida's most prominent indie bookseller, Books & Books, is ready to celebrate. The Coral Gables location is marking the holiday in style with exclusive books and literary pieces galore. Among the unique finds you can scoop up are an Adichie canvas pouch, an exclusive Charles Bukowski vinyl, and other special merch. 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables. Admission is free; RSVP via eventbrite.com.

It's time for another PosterFest, loaded with presentations, workshops, and all kinds of colorful, printable treats. This year's fest carries the theme "Design for Good," zoomed in on South Florida's HIV rates, advocacy, and social change. There will be an exhibition of vintage HIV/AIDS-awareness posters as well as contemporary pieces from which to draw inspiration. The event is co-presented by AIGA Miami and Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County's STD/HIV Prevention and Control Program. 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; wolfsonian.org. Admission is free.

You don't often get to see two hip-hop icons on one stage. But that's exactly what you can do Saturday when Method Man and Redman hit Fort Lauderdale. The dynamic duo dropped their last LP together in 2009, and since then, Method Man has released two solo studio albums, including 2018's Meth Lab Season 2: The Lithium. Redman's Muddy Waters, Too is in the works, marking his latest since 2015's Mudface. 10 p.m. Saturday at the Venue Fort Lauderdale, 2345 Wilton Dr., Fort Lauderdale; eventbrite.com. Tickets cost $40 to $60.

Imogen Heap is headed to the Fillmore on her latest tour, which also resurrects Frou Frou, her duo with Gyu Sigsworth, for the first time since 2003. Frou Frou only had one studio album to its name, 2002's Details, but Heap has released three albums since, including 2014's Sparks. A classic listen is Frou Frou's tune "Let Go," which was featured in the 2004 film Garden State. 8 p.m. Sunday at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Tickets cost $30 to $45 via livenation.com.

"My Girl." "I Want You Back." "Tears of a Clown." Which is your favorite Motown track? The Detroit-based label gifted the world with some of the greatest music to come out of America, and in celebration of the label's 60th anniversary, the City of Miami Beach will host Motown Brunch at North Beach's Normandy Fountain this Saturday. Participating establishments include 222 Taco, the Salty Donut, 7tyone Restaurant & Coffee Bar, and many others. Soulful singer Yoli Mayor and singer-songwriter Alejandro Elizondo will provide the tunes. 11 a.m. Saturday at Normandy Fountain, 7802 Rue Vendome, Miami Beach; facebook.com. Admission is free.
Miami native Todd Leininger is released from a Venezuelan prison after being detained for five years for allegedly aiding the opposition.