Venezuela says video proves US is complicit
VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro touted a video showing a scruffy-looking American divulging details about a failed invasion as proof on Wednesday that US authorities backed an alleged attempt to forcibly remove him from power.
Maduro aired a video of Luke Denman on state television in which the 34-yearold Texas native claims he signed a contract with a Florida-based company to train rebel troops and carry out the assault in exchange for up to $100,000. “I was helping Venezuelans take back control of their country,” he said.
Denman and Airan Berry, both former US special forces soldiers who served in Iraq, were detained on Monday following what authorities described as a botched beach landing in the fishing village of Chuao. Both men are associated with Silvercorp USA, a private firm founded by Jordan Goudreau, an ex-green Beret claiming responsibility for the alleged incursion.
US President Donald Trump said Washington had nothing to do with the purported attack and Goudreau was under federal investigation for arms trafficking, according to US law enforcement officials.
Nonetheless, the Venezuelan leader insists his US adversary was behind the apparent attempt to force him out.
“There’s the proof,” he said, pointing to the video, in which Denman indicates that
Trump T was behind corp’s co incursion.
Nonetheless, opposition cr critics and observers said the te testimony should be taken with a grain of salt, noting that Venezuelan authorities have a record of forcing statements.
Though Denman did not a appear under duress, one expert noted that he made an unusual and exaggerated gesture with his eyes in what may have been a covert signal to those watching.
“Special operation soldiers are trained to find creative ways to discredit any propaganda videos they are forced to make if captured by the
Silverenemy,” said Ephraim Mattos, a Navy SEAL who had visited the rebel training camps in Colombia but was not involved in the operation.
The confusing events have sparked new tensions between Venezuela and the US, which has been an ally of opposition leader Juan Guaido, the politician recognised by nearly 60 nations as the country’s legitimate president.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated Trump’s claims that there was no direct US involvement.
“If we’d have been involved, it would have gone differently,” he chided.