President Trump used his State of the Union address as the backdrop of an emotional, surprise reunion between a Venezuelan woman and her uncle, who was held as a political prisoner by the country’s ousted Maduro regime.
Trump reunited Alejandra Gonzales with her uncle, Enrique Márquez, who was kidnapped by Maduro’s security forces and held in a “vile” prison in Caracas after he ran for office in opposition to the dictator.
“Alejandra, I’m pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he’s here tonight, we brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person,” Trump said.
The uncle and niece tightly embraced and shed tears as the audience erupted with applause.
Márquez was one of “hundreds of political prisoners” released after the US toppled ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s regime in January.
The president added that Alejandra “feared she would never see her uncle again” and “feared for her own life also” before US military intervention.
“But since the raid, we have worked with new leadership, and we have ordered the closure of that vile prison and released hundreds of political prisoners already,” Trump said.
