US State Department’s Shannon in Venezuela as Vatican Talks "Frozen"

United States Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon is in Caracas as Venezuela's Opposition says that talks with the government are "frozen" after government officials failed to attend meetings Tuesday. And the mother of Josh Holt, a U.S. Mormon missionary jailed in Venezuela, is hoping that the visit secures her son’s release this time around. Diplomatic sources in Caracas confirmed to the Latin American Herald Tribune that Shannon was in country after Twitter reports of his arrival and the State Department spokesperson later announced it after the initial version of this story had gone to press. More…