Nov. 8, 2016 8:20 p.m.
This should surprise no one. Venezuela today is a lawless thugocracy run by an egomaniac who ignores all the laws and does as he pleases, while his people suffer from his mismanagement and corruption.
The Utahn prisoner is merely a pawn in his game to keep focusing on phantom outside threats to distract public attention from how desperate their situation has become.
None of that helps our guy, but expecting that pleas for rational actions or sympathetic responses to pleas from politicians will do much good is unrealistic.
This is what happens when rulers destroy the rule of law.