Ousting plan negotiated: report

CARACAS: Members of Venezuela’s opposition in October negotiated a $US213 million ($NZ348 million) deal with a small Florida security company to invade the country and overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, according to a document published by The Washington Post yesterday.

Venezuelan authorities this week arrested more than a dozen people, including Americans who work for the company, Silvercorp USA, as part of a bungled incursion.

The two captured Americans appeared on state television in Venezuela on Thursday and again yesterday, saying they had been tasked by Silvercorp with taking control of the airport in Caracas in order to fly out Maduro. Both would be tried in Venezuela’s civilian courts, Maduro said.

The document deals a blow to the credibility of opposition leader

Juan Guaido, who has vehemently denied any links to Silvercorp or involvement in the attempt to remove Maduro by force.

Guaido, the president of the oppositioncontrolled National Assembly, argues Maduro is usurping power after rigging a 2018 election. Guaido is recognised by dozens of countries as Venezuela’s rightful leader.

The plan described in the 42page document offers tactical details, but offers no explanation of how a small group of commandos could overpower hundreds of thousands of security forces.

Guaido adviser Juan Rendon, whose signature allegedly appears on the document, said in a telephone interview he negotiated the agreement, but that Silvercorp’s chief executive, Jordan Goudreau, went ahead with it even though Rendon had cut ties with him in November. — Reuters