[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 320 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 320

 Calling for the immediate release of Eyvin Hernandez, a United States 
  citizen and Los Angeles County public defender, who was wrongfully 
            detained by the Venezuelan regime in March 2022.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 27, 2023

 Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Calling for the immediate release of Eyvin Hernandez, a United States 
  citizen and Los Angeles County public defender, who was wrongfully 
            detained by the Venezuelan regime in March 2022.

Whereas, since 2006, Eyvin Hernandez has been a public defender for Los Angeles 
        County, dedicating his career to representing the most vulnerable people 
        in the county;
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez is a man of impeccable character and a beloved member of 
        his community, admired by many who know him for his deep devotion to 
        justice, respect for humanity, willingness to help others, patience, 
        kindness, and intellect;
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez has volunteered his time to advocate for children in the 
        juvenile justice system, to mentor aspiring young lawyers through the 
        Latina Lawyer Bar Association and the University of California, Los 
        Angeles (UCLA) Law Fellows Program, and to participate in the Los 
        Angeles County Public Defender's Union, Local 148, where he previously 
        served on the board of directors;
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez is an alumnus of the UCLA School of Law and of El Camino 
        College, UCLA, where he majored in physics and mathematics;
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez's family immigrated to the United States when he was a 
        toddler, fleeing the civil war in El Salvador and seeking a better life;
Whereas, on March 31, 2022, Eyvin Herndandez was captured by armed, masked men 
        in the vicinity of the Colombia-Venezuela border, and, once his United 
        States citizenship was discovered, was transferred to Venezuela and 
        detained;
Whereas the Venezuelan regime charged Eyvin Hernandez with criminal association 
        and conspiracy, which could lead to 16 years of imprisonment;
Whereas there has been no serious effort to provide legitimate evidence to 
        corroborate those allegations nor to hold trial proceedings to 
        adjudicate his case, highlighting the fabricated grounds for Eyvin 
        Hernandez's detention;
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez was not included in the October 2022 prisoner exchange 
        that allowed 7 Americans imprisoned in Venezuela to return home to the 
        United States;
Whereas, on October 21, 2022, the Department of State designated Eyvin Hernandez 
        as wrongfully detained;
Whereas, in June 2023, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs 
        attempted to secure Eyvin Hernandez's release during a visit to Caracas;
Whereas, even in prison, Eyvin Hernandez has served as an advocate for his 
        fellow detained Americans, translating their needs to the guards in 
        Spanish and helping them articulate their cases to officials of the 
        Department of State;
Whereas the Los Angeles County community, including Eyvin Hernandez's former 
        mentees, colleagues, classmates, friends, and family, have created a 
        coalition to advocate for his release, highlight the arbitrary and 
        unjust nature of his detention, and continue fighting to bring him home; 
        and
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez is a valued citizen of the city of Los Angeles, the 
        State of California, and the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) calls on the Venezuelan regime to immediately release 
        Eyvin Hernandez from unjust imprisonment;
            (2) urges all officials of the executive branch of the 
        United States, including President Joseph R. Biden, Secretary 
        of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake 
        Sullivan, and Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs 
        Roger Carstens, to use all the tools at the disposal of the 
        executive branch to secure the immediate release of Eyvin 
        Hernandez;
            (3) condemns the Venezuelan regime's continued use of 
        detentions of citizens and lawful permanent residents of the 
        United States for political purposes;
            (4) expresses continued support for all citizens and lawful 
        permanent residents of the United States wrongfully detained in 
        Venezuela, along with all other citizens and lawful permanent 
        residents of the United States wrongfully detained abroad; and
            (5) expresses solidarity with and sympathy for Eyvin 
        Hernandez, his friends and family, and those advocating for his 
        immediate release, for the personal hardship experienced as a 
        result of the arbitrary and baseless detention of their loved 
        one.
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