Orlando man returns home after capture abroad in prisoner swap between U.S, Venezuela

ORLANDO, Fla. - A man from Orlando returned to U.S. soil on Wednesday night. His mother said she felt relieved when seeing her son leave the plane.

Joseph Cristella is one of 10 Americans released in a prisoner swap between the United States and Venezuela. Elaine Cristella, Joseph's mother, said her son was wrongfully detained in Venezuela in September 2022.

Elaine Cristella called the past year agonizing, with the most crushing part not being able to do anything to bring her son back herself. 

"It's like the Empire State Building being lifted off my shoulders," Cristella said.

Cristella said her family waited for this moment for more than a year without any knowledge of whether it would come.

"We are just so relieved that he is back on U.S. soil," Cristella said.

Joseph Cristella landed in San Antonio, Texas, Wednesday night. His mother said she recognized him instantly in his backward hat.

"I just couldn't stop watching the film roll over and over and over again," Cristella said. "I just kept watching it and was like, yes."

TOPSHOT - (L-R) Freed US citizens Joseph Ryan Cristella, Eyvin Hernandez, Edgar Jose Marval Moreno, Jason Saad, Savoi Wright Jerrel Kenemore and National Security Council Director for Counter Terrorism David Cotter pose for pictures upon arrival at J

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The U.S. said Joseph Cristella spent the past 15 months wrongfully detained. Venezuela claimed he was an enemy of the state. His mother said he was just visiting.

"You have to stop taking Americans just to take them because they're Americans."

Cristella was detained the same day his mother retired. Elaine said she had to go back to work to afford to keep her son clothed and even fed while in custody. She estimated that it cost her and her family more than $30,000.

"The last year has been--I don't know how I've gotten through it," Cristella said.

The mother and son spoke over the phone yesterday as he was returning to the U.S.

"All of them came with the clothes on their back," Cristella said. "That's it. They took their phones, clothes, luggage, any money they had, their passports, their license. They have nothing."

Elaine said family members leaned on each other while missing one of their own.

"The past is the past," Cristella said. "The whole last year, I'm not looking back because if you're looking back, you can't move forward."

Joseph Cristella and the other prisoners brought back Wednesday are undergoing medical evaluation in Texas before they'll be released. 

Elaine said she wants her son to join her in Idaho while he rebuilds his life.