Venezuela’s chief prosecutor has ordered the arrest of a former US soldier and two opposition figures living in the US for their alleged role in a botched operation aimed at removing Nicolas Maduro from power.
Tarek William Saab said Venezuela will seek the capture of Jordan Goudreau, a military veteran who has claimed responsibility for the attack. Saab has also ordered the arrest of Juan Jose Rendon and Sergio Vergara, two US-based advisers to opposition leader Juan Guaido.
“They are living in impunity,” Saab said. “In tranquillity over there [in the US]”.
US law enforcement is investigating Goudreau, though it remains unclear if he will be charged.
A video of American Airon Berry was shown on Venezuelan TV (Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication press office via AP)
Donald Trump does not recognise Maduro’s government, making it highly unlikely that his administration would accept any extradition request.
The Trump administration has denied all responsibility for the armed raid. The raid also resulted in the arrests of two Americans, Luke Denman and Airan Berry. Both were purportedly hired by Goudreau’s private firm to participate in the failed assault.
In an interview with Fox News Channel on Friday, Trump said he “didn’t know too much” about the attack and again denied any US government involvement. He said:
It wasn’t led by General George Washington, obviously… this was not a good attack.
US and opposition involvement
Venezuelan authorities have been insisting that Trump’s government was behind the plot. Saab noted on 8 May that the US had previously offered a $15m bounty for Maduro’s arrest, which he said opened the door for such attacks:
That gives a green light for an incursion into our territory
Denman and Berry are both former US special forces soldiers who served in Iraq. In video statements aired on Venezuela’s state television, both said they’d been hired by Goudreau to train rebel troops in Colombia and target Maduro. Goudreau has said they were part of his operation.
Juan Jose Rendon, US-based adviser to opposition leader Guaidó, has acknowledged giving Goudreau $50k to cover some expenses. Rendon also said that he and another adviser Sergio Vergara signed an agreement with Goudreau.
Meanwhile, Goudreau has presented what he said is an audio recording made on a hidden mobile phone. On the recording, Guaidó can be heard briefly greeting the combat veteran via video conference.
Guaidó, who’s recognised by the US and about 60 other nations as Venezuela’s rightful president, has denied any involvement in the operation.
Saab said Venezuela is issuing 22 new arrest orders but did not mention Guaidó among them.
The coronavirus pandemic is changing our world, fast. And we will do all we can to keep bringing you news and analysis throughout. But we are worried about maintaining enough income to pay our staff and minimal overheads.
Now, more than ever, we need a vibrant, independent media that holds the government to account and calls it out when it puts vested economic interests above human lives. We need a media that shows solidarity with the people most affected by the crisis – and one that can help to build a world based on collaboration and compassion.
We have been fighting against an establishment that is trying to shut us down. And like most independent media, we don’t have the deep pockets of investors to call on to bail us out.
Can you help by chipping in a few pounds each month?
We, and our partners, set cookies and collect information from your browser to provide you with website content, deliver relevant advertising and understand web audiences. See our privacy policy to learn more about how we manage your data and your rights. See our cookie consent policy to understand how we use cookies and tracking technology. To agree to our use of cookies, click "Accept".
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Yanks again wanting to rule others through their proxy puppets