Pedro Martínez gets on his knees and prays for the release of his son. Photo: Rod Lamkey/Zuma PressThirteen months ago, on the day she celebrated her retirement, Elaine Cristella received a text message with a mug shot of her son and the news that the former Florida resident had been jailed in Venezuela. Security forces arrested her son, Joseph Cristella, in September last year at a bus stop shortly after he had crossed into Venezuela from Colombia to visit his fiancée, a Venezuelan. The charge: conspiracy against the Venezuelan state, his mother said.

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Persons: Pedro Martínez, Rod Lamkey, Elaine Cristella, Joseph Cristella Organizations: Zuma, Security, Venezuelan Locations: Florida, Venezuela, Colombia, Venezuelan