STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — By the time James Luckey reached Venezuela in late 2025, he was deep into a months‑long adventure through South and Central America. A former Staten Island resident and avid traveler, he had expected the trip to end shortly, with a flight home to reunite with family.
Instead, the 28‑year‑old — the son of late musician Diane Luckey, who performed under the name Q Lazzarus — was taken into custody by Venezuelan authorities and held for weeks. Luckey was among the Americans later released following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Now back in the United States, Luckey has been trying to track down the families of fellow detainees he met during his imprisonment. He recently took time to share his personal experience with the Advance/SILive.com…