The State Department has confirmed that American citizen Gonzalo Lira is being held in a Ukrainian prison over charges related to his speech and views on the war in Ukraine.
Lira is a popular YouTuber and journalist who was arrested by the Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) in May for creating content that was critical of the Ukrainian government and explaining how the Russia-Ukraine war was provoked. He was charged over claims that he “justified the Russian invasion.”
Lira, who is also a citizen of Chile, reappeared on social media in July when he posted a video and Twitter thread saying he was released on bail and was attempting to cross the border into Hungary. He alleged that he was tortured while in a Ukrainian prison and said if he was not heard from again, it meant he was captured by Ukrainian authorities.
“We are aware of the detention of Mr. Lira in Ukraine. We take our role in assisting US citizens abroad seriously and are providing all appropriate assistance,” a State Department spokesperson told Breitbart News on Tuesday.
“We are monitoring the situation but have no further comment at this time. We reiterate our message that US citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict,” the spokesperson added.
The Breitbart report noted that the confirmation of a US citizen being held in Ukraine for his speech comes as President Biden is looking for an additional $24 billion in spending on the proxy war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently in the US and is expected to visit the White House and Capitol Hill on Thursday to make the pitch for more aid.
During his speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Biden described the funding of the proxy war in Ukraine as “not only an investment in Ukraine’s future, but in the future of every country that seeks a world governed by basic rules.”
When American citizens are detained/imprisoned overseas for activities that are protected rights here, the diplomatic situation is often complex and difficult. Not in this case.
One phone call, or one brief chat on the sidelines of, e.g., the UNGA meeting in NYC, or in DC this week, and Lira would be freed.
If the US didn’t want Gonzalo Lira to be locked up in Ukraine, he wouldn’t be locked up in Ukraine.
Absolutely correct.
“State Department Confirms US Citizen Gonzalo Lira Is Detained in Ukraine – Lira was arrested by Ukrainian authorities for his views on the war”
Russia will free Gonzalo Lira before senile Joey Biden frees Julian Assange.
Gonzalo Lirawascrit9ical of the war and Washington’s participation so he is going to be found guilty and do the 5- 8 years that posting criticisms is subject to in Ukraine.
“Biden described the funding of the proxy war in Ukraine as: ‘not only an investment’ “in $hitting moral superiority on your face but also ‘every country that seeks a world governed by basic rules.’” (Sarcasm)
So, what is Z proposing? He will give us the American, if, we give him long range missiles?
,” reappeared on social media in July when he posted a video and Twitter thread saying he was released on bail and was attempting to cross the border into Hungary.” So he broadcasted his attempted “escape” into Hungary on social media ? Gosh, wonder how they caught him again ? 😉 Maybe it’s just me, but this looks a bit odd.
They’ve had him (again) since July.
That the US State Department is only announcing that now presumably means that the announcement was intentionally timed to coincide with Zelenskyy’s trip to the US. So I guess the question is, why does the US State Department want to make Zelenskyy look bad at this particular moment?
They need a scapegoat.
“Make Z-man look bad”??? Look bad to whom? One would think that only the idiots would think capturing Laura is good and we know there are a lot more idiots than the intelligent well informed. The real question for Biden is, are they U.S. Z-Man friendly voters that think it makes Z-man look bad????
To whom would Zelensky look bad? I don’t think most Americans will be disturbed by Kiev’s treatment of Lira.
Yes, it does. I recently saw a video of a man analyzing the Gonzalo Lira brouhaha, and it could be that Gonzalo is a decoy.
I know Scott Ritter has commented on this extensively, and has been blasted by others for doing so.
“So he broadcasted his attempted ‘escape’ into Hungary on social media ? Gosh, wonder how they caught him again ? 😉 Maybe it’s just me, but this looks a bit odd.”
Lira is a lot more than a bit odd. I wasn’t a bit surprised to see his ridiculous “escape” video. It’s exactly the sort of thing he would do.
But his reckless and probably stupid behavior isn’t the important point here. The important point is that the US is permitting a wholly-owned subsidiary to lock up an American citizen for political speech, exactly the kind of speech our First Amendment is intended to protect.
Jokin Joe talks about seeking a world governed by basic rules while turning his back on an American who was literally imprisoned for stating his opinions.
My first impression from most of his videos is that he is going to kill himself if he doesn’t stop his chain-smoking. They are not incendiary.
Rules based to Joe means OUR rules to do as we wish. To h*ll with international laws, the rights of other countries.
Years ago I read a book, “Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War” by Andrew Bacevich. I highly recommend it.
“We take our role in assisting US citizens abroad seriously and are providing all appropriate assistance,” a State Department spokesperson told”
Liar. The US has had the leverage, total power really, to get his release in any instant it demands that.
Instead, we see a kill list including Americans living in America. Our State Dept thinks that is “appropriate” too, judging by its non-actions.
So how is that ‘rules based international order’ working out now? Got to love that free speech and democracy in the Ukraine on display for the world to see- I hope Zelensky made a point to tell the UN about how free his country is these days. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the trees planted by the Reich back in the day, though.
Americans who purposefully travel to countries at war deserve what they get. Use common sense.
WTF… How did he blunder into the clutches of those Nazi Scum..???
Well, it was a long, slow, deliberate blunder. Lira spent the entire war living in Kharkov City and posting videos guaranteed to infuriate Kiev and the Banderists.
That doesn’t justify his arrest for those of us who think free speech is essential and should be nonnegotiable, but there’s nothing surprising about his being arrested.
WOW. How many drugs does it take to get so wasted that Biden says that “not only an investment in Ukraine’s future, but in the future of every country that seeks a world governed by basic rules.”
I agree with Biden’s statement as written, but what are and is this rule?
“We make the rules and we rule. If you don’t like it, just leave. There are a lot of planets out there with no rules. F’off and go….!!!!!”
“we make the rules and we rule!”
OMG way to go sir!
i wish there was a giant hole that i could fling myself into.
why? just because.