French yoga teacher Camilo Castro, detained in Venezuela since June, returns to Paris. No deal made for his release, says French government
PARIS: A French yoga teacher who had been detained in Venezuela since June returned to Paris on Sunday where the government insisted that no deal was made for the release of Camilo Castro.
“Long live liberty, long live equality, and long live fraternity,” the 41-year-old declared in tears on his arrival at Paris Orly airport where his family and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot were waiting.
“May all beings on this earth live free from suffering,” he added.
Camilo disappeared on June 26 on the border between Venezuela and Colombia, where he lives, as he was returning to renew his Colombian residents’ visa, said his family.
In September, Castro’s mother said she had not received any news from him other than a voice message at the end of July in which he “called for help”.
Research conducted by his family and Amnesty International found Camilo was being held by the Venezuelan authorities, who did not immediately acknowledge the detention. And when they did acknowledge it, they did not publicly explain why.
French authorities said he had been accused of entering Venezuela illegally.
Amnesty has denounced what it has called a policy of “enforced disappearances” of opponents and foreign nationals since President Nicolas Maduro was declared winner of a disputed vote in July 2024.
“The Venezuelan authorities appear to be using this practice to justify their narratives about ‘foreign conspiracies’ and as a bargaining chip for use in negotiations with other countries,” it said in a report published in July.
Camilo’s release was announced early Sunday by France’s President Emmanuel Macron who said on X: “I share the relief of his family.”
Foreign Minister Barrot said no “quid pro quo” had been given for the release but thanked Brazil and Mexico for their assistance in negotiations. – AFP
