KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Matthew Heath, a Marine veteran from East Tennessee, is returning home after being imprisoned in Venezuela for over two years.
Heath was among the six other Americans now freed in exchange for the U.S. release of two Venezuelan prisoners.
Heath was detained in September 2020 after the Venezuelan government accused him of acting as a terrorist and spying for former President Donald Trump.
Heath's family says they're overjoyed. Everett Rutherford, Heath's aunt, said when they first heard the news—they couldn't believe it.
"It's just unreal. We have just been waiting so long," Rutherford said.
While Heath was confined he was "very sick" and in need of help, according to his mother Connie Haynes. She said he was denied basic human rights.
Heath attempted suicide earlier this year, according to The Richardson Center for Global Engagement.
The Richardson Center is a non-profit that negotiates for the release of prisoners and hostages held by hostile regimes or criminal organizations. The non-profit worked closely with the families of the seven Americans recently released.
"Today we need to celebrate and rejoice the return of our fellow Americans home. For some of them, it has been almost 5 years! Matthew Heath’s attempted suicide 4 months ago was a reminder of the urgency in bringing our wrongful-detainees home from all countries they are being held in. Whether it is suicide, heart attack or physical altercation, these individuals are in constant imminent danger, and the illusion that we have time is dangerous.” Founder of The Richardson Center Bill Richardson said. “We are grateful some of our prisoners from Venezuela are heading home, but we urge the Biden Administration to work decisively and with urgency to bring all other wrongful detainees back to their families.”
Tennessee lawmakers, including Senator Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, praised the release of Heath and the six other Americans.
Congressman Fleischmann worked very closely with Heath's family on his return after they contacted him about Heath's imprisonment. He contacted the State Department and began case file work on Heath's behalf.
"This was not just me; this was my staff. This was the State Department. This was two administrations, both the Trump and Biden administration," he said.
Heath will be medically evaluated at a base in San Antonio before returning home to East Tennessee.