In a June 2025 interview, Nilton Huamanchumo, the brother of Renzo Yasir Huamanchumo Castillo, shared the deep anguish of his family as they endure Renzo’s prolonged and unlawful detention in Venezuela. With no direct contact since his arrest, the emotional toll has been especially heavy on their mother, who struggles daily with the uncertainty surrounding her son’s safety. Despite minimal media coverage and limited support from U.S. organizations, the family continues to fight for his release, drawing hope from his recent designation as unlawfully detained by the U.S. government. They express cautious optimism, tempered by frustration at the ongoing lack of public attention. Above all, they emphasize Renzo’s humanity, as a father, son, brother, and friend; and urge renewed, visible efforts to bring him home.

How is the family coping with Renzo’s prolonged unlawful detention?
Everyone in the family is having a hard time. Especially my mother. We haven’t been able to speak to him so one could only imagine how worried everyone is.

How do you deal with and overcome frustration when things don’t seem to move forward?
The frustration when things don’t seem to be moving forward is impossible to overcome. The worst things go through our head and we don’t really have a phone number to anyone that would be able to calm us. When all we need is good news the lack thereof is unbearable.

There has been no contact with Renzo since his arrest, how do you stay hopeful and lift each others’ spirits?
My brother and I as siblings try to keep our mother in a positive environment. The thought of being unable to confirm his safety by talking to him is crippling to our mother. We aren’t really happy but have to portray a level of poise and positivity so my mother doesn’t get lost in her thoughts.

What are the toughest parts and main challenges of trying to free Renzo?
The toughest parts is all the family that misses him. Nobody has an answer to anything regarding him. Now that DC seems to be involved with the wrongly imprisoned in Venezuela, our hopes are a little higher.

Are you getting the support you need from organizations, the media, and others? How could they help more?
We’re barely getting support from US organizations which is huge. My mother and aunt raised the alarm in Peru and were able to get on a few channels’ news hours. The media in the US was not interested in the story and had all kinds of stipulations and excuses as to why they couldn’t help. If the US’s news channels spoke about the prisoners in support of liberating them, that would be helpful.

Renzo is also a Peruvian citizen. What role is the Peruvian government playing in seeing Renzo’s release? Are the two governments working together to free him?
The Peruvian government got us in touch with the United nations and the Colombian embassy. The activist Jonathan Palacios contacted us with foro penal. We haven’t heard from the Peruvian government as much as from their media. We aren’t informed if the 2 governments are working together or not.

Renzo was recently designated unlawfully detained. Do you have faith that the U.S. Government is doing all it can to bring him home especially after he was left behind when Americans were released from Venezuela? And what specific actions have you found most helpful or lacking?
We gained hope and optimism when the US government acknowledged his unlawful detainment. Before then it was all back channel information. We have faith and hope that the US government is looking out for his safe return to his family. The most significant move in the right direction was when Jacob Hernandez from SPEHA called my mother to assure her that her son was on the list of prisoners they planned on bringing back. The media not touching this story here in the US was what we found the most lacking. Also the way the Biden administration handled all this was abhorrent.

Is there anything else you would like to share or talk about?
I would like to share my gratitude from my entire family. Our brother is alive and he needs his family like we need him. He’s a father, son, brother and friend to many here in America that heartbreakingly miss his presence.