This photo released by the Venezuelan Miraflores presidential press office shows what authorities identify as the ID cards of former US special forces citizen Airan Berry, right, and Luke Denman, left, in Caracas, Venezuela, May 4, 2020. (Photo by AP)
Venezuelas chief prosecutor has issued arrest warrants for a former US Green Beret and two insurgents living in the United States for their role in a bungled operation intended to topple countrys President Nicolás Maduro from power.
Tarek William Saab announced on Friday that Venezuela will pursue the capture of Jordan Goudreau, a US Special Forces veteran who has claimed responsibility for the subversive action, as well as Juan José Rendón and Sergio Vergara, two US-based advisers to countrys Washington-sponsored opposition leader Juan Guaidó, AP reported Saturday.
"They are living in impunity, in tranquility over there," Saab said, adding that Venezuela has issued 22 arrest orders linked to attack, but he did not mention Guaido himself.
Moreover, Venezuelan authorities have been insisting that Washington was behind the armed operation, with Saab reminding reporters on Friday that the Trump administration had previously offered a $15 million bounty for Maduros arrest, which he underlined opened the door for such attacks.
"That gives a green light for an incursion into our territory," he emphasized.
According to the report, American law enforcement authorities are investigating Goudreau, though it is not yet clear whether he will be charged since US President Donald Trump does not recognize the elected government in Venezuela, making it highly unlikely that his administration would accept any extradition request by Caracas.
The development came just days after an American soldier of fortune captured during the botched attempt to seize President Maduro admitted that his group had plotted to raid the presidential palace in Caracas before abducting him "however necessary."
Airan Berry, 41, was one of two US mercenaries captured by Venezuelan security forces this week after what appears to have been a catastrophically executed attempt to oust Maduro by sneaking into the Central American nation in a pair of weather-beaten fishing boats.
This is while the Trump administration has denied responsibility in the attempted armed plot, which resulted in the arrests of two Americans, Luke Denman and Airan Berry, who were allededly hired by Goudreaus private firm to participate in the failed assault.
Denman and Berry are both former US Special Forces troops that were deployed to Iraq during American military occupation of the Arab nation that begun in 2003. In video statements aired on Venezuelas state television, both confessed that they had been hired by Goudreau to train rebel troops in Colombia and target Maduro. Goiudreau has also admitted that they were part of his operation.
Rendón, meanwhile, has acknowledged giving Goudreau $50,000 to cover some expenses and said that he and Vergara signed an agreement with the three-time Bronze Star recipient.
According to the report, Goudreau has further presented what he said is an audio recording made on a hidden cellphone in which Guaidó can be heard greeting the US veteran soldier via video conference.
Trump, however, claimed during an interview with Fox News Channel on Friday that he "didnt know too much" about the subversive attack and again denied any US government involvement.
"It wasnt led by Gen. George Washington, obviously," he asserted. "This was not a good attack."
This is while Venezuelan President Maduro insisted days ago that there is evidence Trump "personally ordered" the military raid against him, arguing that Washington swiftly cut remaining ties with Caracas thereafter.
Maduro made the comments in an interview with a Uruguayan news outlet on Thursday evening, saying the evidence would soon reveal Trump himself was behind the "covert operation" last weekend, during which two US security contractors were detained and eight armed locals were killed.
SOURCE: PRESS TV
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/17218
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