Antigua and Barbuda National Return to Antigua and Barbuda After Missing for 32 years

Press Release

V.C. BIRD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, St. George, Antigua and Barbuda – 20th May – There were scenes of unbridled joy at VC Bird International Airport on Tuesday morning as an Antiguan national was flown home from Venezuela, after having been missing for 32 years and 5 months. Denise Odelia Charles was welcomed home after landing on a private jet shortly after 10am.

She was greeted by Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne, whom she thanked for facilitating her return to Antigua. There were tears of joy during the surreal family reunion. Charles is expected to speak in detail in coming weeks about the circumstances that led to her being in Venezuela for over three decades.

The Venezuelan Government arranged for the private charter flight to transport her, as well her brother Terrence Charles and nephew Tishorn Watson, back to Antigua.

Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne expressed his elation at the incredible outcome of this case, and the role he and his administration were able to play in securing Charles’ return. He says this story demonstrates the importance of Antiguans and Barbudans remaining hopeful and positive.

“The government would have intervened, and we would have collaborated with the government of Venezuela. President Maduro has been extremely benevolent in making air transportation available. He organized a special charter to fly her to Antigua. Herself and her family, who we sponsored to travel to Venezuela to repatriate her here. So, we’re very pleased to have her back and we make sure we put the necessary steps in place to have her fully integrated or reintegrated within our society. In fact, we have guaranteed her a job. I’m quite sure that she can assist us in many areas. She also has language skills. She speaks Spanish fluently. So that in itself is an asset. And I will make sure that she’s properly integrated into the society so that she does not become a charge on the state,” said Prime Minister Browne.

In highlighting the collaboration of his government with the government of Venezuela, Prime Minister Browne said that these efforts demonstrate his government’s foreign policy of Antigua and Barbuda being friends of all.

“I have always maintained that Antigua and Barbuda is too small, too vulnerable to have enemies.  That we are friends of all and we will remain friends of all. And it is, developments like these that reinforce for that matter, the value and certainly the importance of our thinking. It’s pointless getting into any geopolitical spat with anyone. And at the end of day, if we were to get involved in these geopolitical spats, when these nations would have settled their differences, which happen from time to time, then we would get left out in the cold. So, we have always maintained that we will be standing in principle, always, and that we will remain friends of all. We may have little differences from time to time, but nothing sustaining, and we will not maintain any acrimony with any nation. We will continue to be friends of all,” the country’s leader stated.

Minister for Social Transformation, the Hon. Rawdon Turner was also at the airport to welcome home Denise Charles.  He has been charged to work with the family to ensure the smooth integration of Charles into the Antigua and Barbuda society.