Redacción: La Tabla/Plataforma de Periodismo de Datos 4 AGOSTO 2025
The “prisoner exchange” between Venezuela and the United States on July 19 has been portrayed as a rescue operation for American citizens. A thorough analysis of the ten individuals freed, however, indicates that only three were born in the U.S., while the others have varied migratory ties that challenge the narrative of a large-scale “patriotic rescue.”
🔍 The three born in the U.S. are:
1. Lucas Jonas Hunter (37 years old)
– Place of birth: Georgia, U.S.
– Context: Arrested on January 7, 2025, in Paraguachón (Colombian-Venezuelan border). Despite claiming he was on a sports trip (kitesurfing and motocross), Venezuelan authorities doubted the consistency of his tourist narrative. He holds dual French citizenship.
2. Jonathan Pagán González
– Place of birth: Puerto Rico (U.S. territory).
– Context: Arrested in October 2024 in Zulia state. He had ties to local religious communities and, according to Venezuelan officials, had initiated the process for obtaining a Venezuelan identity card.
3. Wilberth Joseph Castañeda Gómez
– Place of birth: Texas, U.S.
– Context: Ex-Navy SEAL captured in August 2024 during a vacation in Caracas. Initially accused of leading a “CIA plot,” his family claimed he was used as “political leverage.”
⚖️ Profiles with non-native ties
The other seven individuals freed exhibit diverse migratory connections:
– Dahud Hanid Ortiz: Naturalized ex-Marine (not born in the U.S.), expelled for fraud in 2017.
– José Marcelo Vargas: Bolivian-American naturalized.
– Erick Oribio Quintana: Venezuelan-born, became a U.S. citizen after 30 years in Baltimore.
– Ronald Oribio Quintana: Venezuelan, only holds permanent residence in the U.S.
– Renzo Huamanchumo Castillo: Peruvian with permanent residence in California (30 years).
– Fabián Bugliones Reyes: Uruguayan with permanent residency.
– Juan José Faria Briceño: Venezuelan with permanent residency.
🌎 The geopolitical dimension
Documents reveal that:
1. 70% of those freed were not native citizens of the U.S., including permanent residents and naturalized individuals.
2. Washington has broadened the definition of “citizen” to include cases like the Oribio Quintana brothers (Venezuelans with residency or acquired citizenship), confirmed by the Foro Penal.
3. The U.S. government has leveraged these migratory ties, even the most tenuous ones, to justify its intervention in the bilateral conflict.
Canje Venezuela-EE.UU. – Details of those freed
.canje-table {
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #f8f9fa, #e9ecef);
border-radius: 15px;
overflow: hidden;
box-shadow: 0 8px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
margin: 30px 0;
border: none;
}
.table-header {
background: #0d6efd;
color: white;
font-weight: 700;
font-size: 1.1em;
}
.category-cell {
font-weight: 600;
background-color: #e3f2fd;
vertical-align: middle;
}
.names-cell {
background-color: white;
}
.table-hover tbody tr:hover {
background-color: rgba(13, 110, 253, 0.05);
}
.counter-badge {
background: #198754;
border-radius: 12px;
padding: 5px 12px;
font-size: 0.9em;
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.mobile-block {
display: block;
}
.mobile-block td {
width: 100%;
display: block;
border: none;
border-bottom: 1px solid #dee2e6;
}
.mobile-block td:last-child {
border-bottom: none;
}
.names-cell {
padding-left: 30px !important;
}
}
Diplomatic Exchange Venezuela-U.S.
Detail of the 10 individuals freed by Venezuela
Nacidos en EE.UU. 3
Lucas Jonas Hunter (Georgia, EE.UU.)
Jonathan Pagán González (Puerto Rico)
Wilberth Joseph Castañeda Gómez (Texas, EE.UU.)
Naturalizados 3
Dahud Hanid Ortiz (ex-Marine, Venezuelan origin)
José Marcelo Vargas (Bolivian origin)
Erick Oribio Quintana (Venezuelan naturalized after 30 years in Baltimore)
Residentes permanentes 4
Ronald Oribio Quintana (Venezuelan, resident in the U.S.)
Renzo Huamanchumo Castillo (Peruvian, 30 years in California)
Fabián Bugliones Reyes (Uruguayan)
Juan José Faria Briceño (Venezuelan)
Venezolanos liberados 252
Deported from the U.S. and detained in El Salvador
Datos clave:
Date of exchange: July 19, 2025
Mediator: El Salvador
Relationship: 10 individuals for 252 Venezuelans
Only 3 of those freed were born on U.S. continental soil
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap@5.3.0/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js
💬 Neutral conclusion
This exchange highlights how U.S. nationality has become an elastic concept for geopolitical purposes. The U.S. government included individuals with diverse migratory ties—from native citizens to permanent residents—in its demands to justify their narrative of “protecting citizens.” Venezuela, on the other hand, demanded the release of 252 compatriots deported and held in El Salvador. The operation reflects a diplomatic pragmatism where migratory status, more than genuine national ties, defines the value of individuals in international conflicts, without implying a unilateral strategy of arbitrary detentions.