James Luckey-Lange, American Detained in Venezuela, Is Being Held by Country’s Counterintelligence

The location of James Luckey-Lange of New York City, who went missing in Venezuela in early December, was previously unknown.James Luckey-Lange, of Staten Island, was reported missing in Venezuela in December.Credit...Eva Aridjis FuentesJan. 5, 2026Updated 1:45 p.m. ETJames Luckey-Lange, an American traveler who went missing in Venezuela in early December, is being held in the detention center run by the country’s military counterintelligence in Caracas, according to a Venezuelan familiar with the matter.Mr. Luckey-Lange, a 28-year-old from Staten Island, was detained shortly after crossing into southern Venezuela, a sparsely populated and dangerous area, from Brazil, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information. Mr. Luckey-Lange was detained by security forces while meeting local musicians, the person added.The New York Times has previously reported that Mr. Luckey-Lange is one of several Americans who have been detained in Venezuela in recent months. The identities of the other recent detainees are unknown.It is unclear if Mr. Luckey-Lange had a visa to enter Venezuela, as is required for American citizens. He is the son of the musician Diane Luckey, who performed as Q Lazzarus and is best known for her 1988 single “Goodbye Horses.”President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela had for years used detained Americans, whether guilty of serious crimes or innocent, as bargaining chips in negotiations with Washington during periods of tensions. Mr. Maduro was captured by American forces on Saturday. His successor, the former vice president Delcy Rodríguez, has called for greater cooperation with Washington, which has supported her bid for power.Venezuela’s communication ministry, which processes requests from news organizations, and the U.S. Department of State did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Mr. Luckey-Lange, who had been traveling across Latin America for several years, wrote to a friend on Dec. 7 that he was at an unspecified location in Venezuela. He spoke to his family the next day, telling them that he was heading to the capital, Caracas, where he was planning to catch a flight on Dec. 12 that would eventually bring him home to New York.The Times reported that U.S. government had considered designating Mr. Luckey-Lange wrongfully detained.Anatoly Kurmanaev covers Venezuela and its interim government.SKIP