The Venezuelan “migrant influencer” who illegally entered the U.S. and inspired different migrants to squat and take over Individuals’ houses is now complaining from behind bars that he’s the victim of persecution and misses his freedom.
Leonel Moreno, 27, spoke to The New York Post throughout a 30-minute televisit from inside Geauga County Jail in Chardon, Ohio earlier this week. He was arrested close to Columbus, Ohio late final month after failing to look for required check-ins with officers.
Moreno whined to The Publish that he got here to the U.S. due to “persecution in my country,” however he’s supposedly going through the identical remedy now.
“It’s all misinformation in the media about me. They’re defaming me. They’re misrepresenting me in the news,” Moreno stated, insisting he was father, husband, and son. “I miss my entire life – I miss my freedom!”
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Leonel Moreno complained to The Publish that he misses his freedom after he was arrested and jailed in Ohio. (@Leitooficial_26/Instagram)
Moreno reportedly crossed into the U.S. illegally in 2022. He obtained border parole in April 2022 as a part of the federal government’s Options to Detention program, which is meant to trace catch-and-release migrants when there may be not sufficient room to detain them.
Federal paperwork reviewed by The Publish now counsel he could also be going through federal firearm prices as effectively.
Leonel Moreno speaks to his followers in a mixture of nonetheless pictures taken from video. (@Leitooficial_26/Instagram)
Moreno made headlines final month for his inflammatory TikTok movies wherein he bragged about not having to work and mocked fellow migrants who come to the U.S. to work onerous guide jobs.
“I didn’t cross the Rio Grande to work like a slave,” he stated in Spanish in considered one of his movies. “I came to the U.S. to mark my territory.”
His TikTok account, which had racked up greater than 500,000 followers, was banned final week however his Instagram account, with just below 19,000 followers, appeared to nonetheless be energetic as of Sunday.
Venezuelan TikToker Leonel Moreno urged unlawful immigrants to take over deserted houses and invoke squatters’ rights. (TikTok/Screenshot/Leonel Moreno)
In a single publish, he acknowledges that they closed his TikTok account, however he vowed to maintain incomes cash on Fb and on Instagram.
He had beforehand informed his viewers he deliberate to make a enterprise out of “invading” deserted homes and taking them over with squatters’ rights legal guidelines, then promoting them for a revenue.
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In his Publish interview, Moreno insisted that the particular person on his social media posts was only a “character” and shouldn’t be conflated along with his regular self.
“I have a sarcastic, dark humor. That’s my job,” he stated. “Leonel Moreno is the opposite.”
Fox Information Digital’s Stepheny Value, Mike Ruiz, and Christina Coulter contributed to this report.
