WHEREAS, Eyvin Hernandez was captured by armed and masked men in the vicinity of the Colombia-Venezuela border on March 31, 2022, after he was not able to pay a $100 bribe the armed men requested, and after his kidnappers learned of his United States citizenship and accused him of being a spy; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez kidnappers covered his head with a black hood, put him in the back of a pickup truck, transported him across multiple locations, and eventually transferred him over to the Venezuelan government; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez is currently being held in a maximum security prison, the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) in Caracas, Venezuela, where other United States nationals and Venezuelan political prisoners are imprisoned; and

WHEREAS, The Venezuelan government has charged Mr. Hernandez with criminal association and conspiracy, which could result in up to 16 years in prison; and

WHEREAS, The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights states that the judiciary system in Venezuela lacks independence, that justice and safeguarding of individual rights are jeopardized, and that serious human rights violations against opponents of the government have gone unchecked; and

WHEREAS, The United States Department of State, on October 21, 2022, designated Mr. Hernandez as wrongfully detained, and the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs has been assigned Mr. Hernandezs case; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez has worked for the Los Angeles County Public Defenders office since 2006, representing the most vulnerable people in the county who are homeless, and living with mental health and substance abuse issues; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez is an active member of the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Union Local 148, where he previously served on the board of directors; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez has volunteered his time to advocate for children in the juvenile justice system, was a mentor for the UCLA Law Fellows Program to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply to and attend law school, and was a mentor for the Latina Lawyer Bar Association; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez attended El Camino College, the University of California, Los Angeles, where he majored in physics and mathematics, and the UCLA School of Law, where he was associate editor for the Chicanx-Latinx Law Review; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandezs family immigrated to the United States when he was a toddler, fleeing the civil war in El Salvador and seeking a better life; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez is a man of diverse interests and curiosity, which has led him to salsa dancing, boxing, chess, and writing; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez is a man of impeccable character, loved and admired by many who know him for his deep devotion to justice, respect for humanity, willingness to help others, patience, kindness, and intellect; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez has always made himself available to help others, whether they be family, friends, friends of friends, and absolute strangers, and the imprints that Mr. Hernandez has made on the Los Angeles community and the state are many and deeply impactful; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hernandez is a dearly loved son, brother, uncle, friend, colleague, and valued member of the State of California; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly stands in solidarity with Eyvin Hernandez, his friends and family, the Los Angeles community, and the people of the state in advocating for his immediate release; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly calls on President Joseph Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, to act with urgency and negotiate for Mr. Hernandezs release, and protect his well-being; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly calls on the entire California congressional delegation to work toward his release and to speak up for Mr. Hernandez, as appropriate; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

Date of Hearing: February 2, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES

James Ramos, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:HR 11 (

Author:Bryan) – As Introduced Ver:February 1, 2023

SUBJECT: The release of Eyvin Hernandez.

SUMMARY: Calls on President Joseph Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, to act with urgency and negotiate for Mr. Hernandez’s release, and protect his well-being. And, calls on the entire California congressional delegation to work toward his release and to speak up for Mr. Hernandez, as appropriate. Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative findings:

1. Eyvin Hernandez was captured by armed and masked men in the vicinity of the Colombia-Venezuela border on March 31, 2022, after he was not able to pay a $100 bribe the armed men requested, and after his kidnappers learned of his United States citizenship and accused him of being a spy.
2. Mr. Hernandez is currently being held in a maximum security prison, the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) in Caracas, Venezuela, where other United States nationals and Venezuelan political prisoners are imprisoned.
3. The Venezuelan government has charged Mr. Hernandez with criminal association and conspiracy, which could result in up to 16 years in prison. The United States Department of State, on October 21, 2022, designated Mr. Hernandez as wrongfully detained, and the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs has been assigned Mr. Hernandez’s case.
4. Mr. Hernandez has worked for the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s office since 2006, representing the most vulnerable people in the county who are homeless, and living with mental health and substance abuse issues.
5. Mr. Hernandez has volunteered his time to advocate for children in the juvenile justice system, was a mentor for the UCLA Law Fellows Program to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply to and attend law school, and was a mentor for the Latina Lawyer Bar Association.
6. Mr. Hernandez has always made himself available to help others, whether they be family, friends, friends of friends, and absolute strangers, and the imprints that Mr. Hernandez has made on the Los Angeles community and the state are many and deeply impactful.
7. Mr. Hernandez is a dearly loved son, brother, uncle, friend, colleague, and valued member of the State of California. The Assembly stands in solidarity with Eyvin Hernandez, his friends and family, the Los Angeles community, and the people of the state in advocating for his immediate release.

FISCAL EFFECT: None

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Michael Erke / RLS. / (916) 319-2800