In May, American YouTuber and columnist Gonzalo Lira was arrested in Ukraine for “publicly justifying” the Russian invasion, according to a Press release by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
The statement from Kiev says that Lira “has the citizenship of one of the countries of Latin America” but he omitted that it is also Born in California American citizen, how Zero Hedge contributor Space Worm reported at the time.
After his release, Lira said he was tortured in a Ukrainian prison and explained “two thugs grabbed my head and used a toothpick to scratch the white of my left eye, while asking me if I could still read if I only had one.” Lira informed followers that he was making a mad dash on a motorcycle towards the Hungarian border:
Right now, I'm about to try to leave Ukraine and seek political asylum in Hungary.
Either I cross the border and get to a safe place, or the regime in Kiev disappears.
This is what has happened to me over the past three months.
1/25
— Gonzalo Lira (@GonzaloLira1968) July 31, 2023
Grayzone reporter Liam Cosgrove pressed State Department spokesman Matthew Miller on the issue, asking how the Biden administration has allowed an American to be tortured by a closely allied nation:
The gray area @cosgrove_iv he asked @StateDeptSpox today on the status of Gonzalo Lira, the American citizen who was jailed by the Ukrainian government for challenging its official war narrative and whose Twitter account now claims to be staging a breakout at the Hungarian border. pic.twitter.com/kc7NY6hkdt
— The Grayzone (@TheGrayzoneNews) August 1, 2023
Even more damning about Miller's non-response is that 3 months earlier, Miller admitted that the State Department was aware of Lira's imprisonment and testified the fifth when asked if the administration planned to defend his release:
The State Department refuses to say whether it will negotiate with Zelensky for the release of detained US citizen Gonzalo Lira: pic.twitter.com/jTD58XjYnw
— Liam Cosgrove (@cosgrove_iv) May 28, 2023
Tucker and Elon sound the alarm
In a post on Saturday at X, Tucker Carlson highlighted Lira's situation and spoke to the reporter's father. Carlson asked why the Biden administration allows itand asked what kind of country Ukraine is to do this to an American simply for criticizing the government.
In response, Elon Musk asked, “An American citizen is in jail in Ukraine after sending over $100 billion?” adding: “Is there more to this story than simply criticizing Zelensky?”
“If that's all, we have a serious problem here.”
An American citizen is in jail in Ukraine after sending over $100 billion?
Is there more to this story than simply criticizing Zelensky?
If that's all, we have a serious problem here.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2023
Yes. Saying unapproved things. This is his crime.
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) December 10, 2023
Musk then directly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to explain…
president @ZelenskyyUaplease educate the american people on this issue
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2023
Which reminds us, 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy pointed out that Ukraine is an extremely corrupt country.
Do you know what is naive? Those who claim that Ukraine is a model of “democracy” in a battle between good and evil. Here is the TRUTH about the Zelensky regime:
– Banned 11 opposition parties
– He recently assassinated a 2019 Ukrainian presidential candidate ⁰-Consolidated all TV media… pic.twitter.com/JUqPrzxC8K— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 7, 2023
Does the worm turn?
Elon is asking the question that American politicians dare not ask. well
— Gabor Gurbacs (@gaborgurbacs) December 9, 2023
We need an answer immediately. We gave you so much money and you have one of us like this?
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) December 9, 2023
what happened next https://t.co/FRzKw5bNsb
— David Sacks (@DavidSacks) December 10, 2023
Gonzalo wasn't a gay basketball player, so the US State Department didn't care
— The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) December 10, 2023
I could ask you for a few billion
— The White Rabbit 🐇 (@WR_Samurai) December 9, 2023
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