Survivor of 1,775 Days of Unjust Detention in Venezuela Shares His Story

Memoir also shares mental strategies and spiritual practices that helped endure captivity, along with insight on Venezuela's turbulent political landscape

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In November 2017, six senior executives of Citgo (a U.S.-based oil company owned by Venezuela's state oil firm, PDVSA) were invited to Venezuela under the pretext of a business meeting. Once there, masked security agents arrested them on corruption and embezzlement charges, accusing them of an unfavorable debt refinancing deal involving billions of dollars, being CIA employees, and collaborating with the US Government to impose economic sanctions on Venezuela and some of its top officials. Jorge L. Toledo, a Venezuelan-born American citizen and former CITGO executive is sharing his story about his wrongful detention for almost five years, and the resilience that carried him through nearly five years of imprisonment.

In "1,775 Days of Captivity," Toledo provides readers with an autobiographical look at his unjust captivity in the infamous DGCIM and El Helicoide prisons, where he endured harsh conditions, physical and psychological torture, and years of uncertainty. It also sheds light on the geopolitical complexities that led to his imprisonment and highlights the unwavering support of his family during the ordeal.

"This story is not just about 1,755 days," Toledo said. "It's about the strength of the human spirit."

Toledo also reflects on the lessons of survival, the spiritual practices that sustained him, and the power of endurance. He shares how, upon his release, he transformed his pain into a platform for human rights advocacy and personal growth.

"When I finally emerged, I realized I had not just survived; I had reinvented myself," Toledo said. "The values I sculpted from my experience as a hostage became the foundation for a new version of myself."

"1,775 Days of Captivity: Survival and Growth"
By Jorge L. Toledo
ISBN: 9781665779173 (softcover); 9781665779166 (hardcover); 9781665779159 (electronic)
Available at Archway Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author
Jorge L. Toledo has built a multifaceted career spanning almost four decades in the oil and gas industry, rising to senior executive positions. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Simón Bolívar University in Caracas and an MBA with a Specialization in International Business from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. Prior to that, Toledo received formal music education and became an accomplished bass player and recording artist in the early 1980s, showcasing his artistic talents alongside his technical prowess. He and his wife, Carmen, have two children and two grandchildren. He currently reside in Austin, Texas. To learn more, please visit iconoclasticartistry.com.

General Inquiries:
LAVIDGE – Phoenix                                                                                       
Ziggy Goldfarb
[email protected]

SOURCE Archway Publishing