On 5/5/20, miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Venezuela Detains Two Americans Allegedly Involved in Failed Raid to RemoveSo now we see the results of sitting our young children in front of
Maduro
By Reuters
05 May 20
President Nicolas Maduro claims men were among 13 ‘terrorists’ involved in
plot to enter country via the coast and oust him
Venezuelan authorities have detained two US citizens allegedly working with
a US military veteran who has claimed responsibility for a failed armed
incursion into the oil-producing country, President Nicolas Maduro said on
Monday.
In a state television address, Maduro said authorities arrested 13
“terrorists” on Monday allegedly involved in a plot he said was coordinated
with Washington to enter the South American country via the Caribbean coast
and oust him.
Eight people were killed during the foiled incursion attempt on Sunday,
Venezuelan authorities said.
Maduro showed what he said were the US passports and other identification
cards belonging to Airan Berry and Luke Denman, who he said were in custody
and had been working with Jordan Goudreau, an American military veteran who
leads a Florida-based security company called Silvercorp USA.
“They were playing Rambo. They were playing hero,” Maduro said, adding that
Venezuelan authorities had caught wind of the plot before its execution.
Goudreau, who identified himself as an organiser of the invasion on Sunday,
told Reuters on Monday that Berry and Denman were also involved.
“They’re working with me. Those are my guys,” he said by telephone.
The State Department did not provide any immediate comment on the alleged
arrests. US officials have strongly denied any US government involvement in
the incursions.
A person familiar with the matter said the two US citizens were captured on
Monday in a second-day roundup of accomplices and were believed to be in
the
custody of Venezuelan military intelligence.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the details came from
contacts with Venezuelan security forces.
Opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, who the US has backed to be president of
Venezuela, cast doubt on the government’s version of Sunday’s events,
insisting Maduro is seeking to distract from other problems in recent days
including a deadly prison riot and a violent gang battle in Caracas.
Guaidó’s communications team on Monday denied media reports that Guaidó had
hired Silvercorp to remove Maduro by force, adding the opposition leader
and
his allies “have no relationship with or responsibility for the actions of
the company Silvercorp.”
In a statement on Monday evening, Guaidó’s team said: “We demand the human
rights ... of the people captured in recent hours be respected.“
Washington has imposed tough economic sanctions against Venezuela in an
effort to oust Maduro, whom it accuses of having rigged elections in 2018.
Maduro’s government says the United States wants to control Venezuela’s
massive oil reserves.
Monday’s arrests come after Maduro’s government on Sunday said mercenaries
had attempted to enter the South American country on speed boats from
neighbouring Colombia, saying eight people had been killed and two
detained.
Later on Sunday, Goudreau released a video identifying himself as an
organiser of the alleged invasion, alongside dissident Venezuelan military
officer Javier Nieto.
Goudreau said in the video that fighters on the ground continued to carry
out operations in different parts of the country.
He identified one of the fighters as “Commander Sequea,” which appeared to
be a reference to Antonio Sequea, who was identified on Monday by state
television as one of the people arrested.
Silvercorp’s website describes Goudreau as a “highly decorated Special
Forces Iraq and Afghanistan veteran.“
