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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Secretary of State <keyword id="3109665" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mike-Pompeo">Mike Pompeo</keyword> said the US was prepared to "use every tool" to try and bring back what appears to be two Americans detained by the Venezuelan regime after an alleged failed coup.</li><li>"There was no US government direct involvement in this operation," Pompeo said to reporters on Wednesday. "If we'd have been involved, it would have gone differently."</li><li>Jordan Goudreau, a former Green Beret and the founder of the Florida-based security consulting firm, claimed he deployed two US ex-special forces soldiers to take part in the mission to <keyword id="2723" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Venezuela">Venezuela</keyword>, according to The Associated Press.</li><li>"By no means am I saying that 60 guys can come in and topple a regime," Goudreau reportedly said. "I'm saying 60 guys can go in and inspire the military and police to flip and join in the liberation of their country, which deep down is what they want."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US was prepared to "use every tool" to try and bring back what appears to be two Americans detained by the Venezuelan regime after an alleged failed coup."There was no US government direct involvement in this operation," Pompeo said to reporters on Wednesday. "If we'd have been involved, it would have gone differently."Pompeo's remarks come as Venezuelan reports claimed two US "mercenaries" were taken into custody on Monday. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro alleged that the two Americans, Luke Denman and Aaron Berry, both former US Army special forces soldiers, and dozens of rebels took part in a daring beach raid to capture him.Jordan Goudreau, a former Green Beret and the founder of the Florida-based security consulting firm <keyword id="2494842" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Silvercorp">Silvercorp</keyword> USA, claimed he deployed Denman and Berry to take part in the mission to Venezuela, according to The Associated Press. Goudreau said he was hired by the US-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who has denied involvement in the raid."You've got to introduce a catalyst," Goudreau said to the Associated Press on Monday. "By no means am I saying that 60 guys can come in and topple a regime. I'm saying 60 guys can go in and inspire the military and police to flip and join in the liberation of their country, which deep down is what they want."Pompeo declined to provide additional information on who provided funding for the operation, but added the US would attempt to "get every American back."Since the arrests, Maduro has showed off the belongings of the detainees, including what appeared to be US military identification cards and passports. Venezuelan media outlets released video footage of the purported Americans answering terse questions about their military background and mission."We're going to work on this," Pompeo said. "It's a consular matter in the sense of any time there are Americans that are detained some place, we'll work to get them back. We will start the process of trying to figure a way, if in fact these are Americans that are there, that we can figure out a path forward."Pompeo also warned Maduro of stiff consequences if the leader continued to detain any Americans."We want to get every American back," he said. "If the Maduro regime decides to hold them, we'll use every tool that we have available to try and get them back. It's our responsibility to do so."US officials, including President Donald Trump, widely denied involvement in the operation.Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/special-forces-venezuela-raid-americans-mike-pompeo-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

Top US diplomat says 'it's our responsibility' to bring back any Americans from botched, unsanctioned raid in Venezuela

Caracas, May 5 (AP) President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States had nothing to do with an alleged incursion into Venezuela that landed two U.S. citizens behind bars in the crisis-stricken South American nation.Trump said he had just learned of the detention of the pair, accused by Venezuela of being mercenaries. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said they were part of an operation to kill him that was backed by neighboring Colombia and the United States."Whatever it is, we'll let you know," Trump told reporters in Washington before departing from the White House to Arizona. "But it has nothing to do with our government." Authorities in Venezuela identified the two men as Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former U.S. special forces soldiers associated with the Florida-based private security firm Silvercorp USA.A third U.S. ex-Green Beret and Silvercorp founder, Jordan Goudreau, claimed responsibility for leading "Operation Gideon," which was launched with an attempted beach landing before dawn on Sunday that left eight suspected attackers dead.The two ex-U.S. soldiers were detained Monday dozens of miles (kilometers) from the first attempted beach landing in a fishing village. Authorities say they've confiscated equipment and detained dozens of others. (AP) NSANSA

Trump denies ties to Venezuelan attack with 2 US men jailed

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In May, President Nicolás Maduro <a href="https://apnews.com/article/79346b4e428676424c0e5669c80fc310">announced</a> that Venezuelan security forces thwarted an attempted coup led by two former US Green Berets, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/venezuelas-maduro-says-two-americans-captured-in-failed-invasion-attempt/2020/05/04/11630f82-8e6b-11ea-9322-a29e75effc93_story.html">releasing video footage</a> that showed a ragtag group of men rounded up in a coastal village.</li><li>However, the U.S. <keyword id="170490" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="State-Department">State Department</keyword> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-venezuela-invasion-attempt/2020/05/05/8b4d64ec-8ee7-11ea-9e23-6914ee410a5f_story.html">described</a> the event as "propaganda." In a statement to Business Insider, a US State Department spokesperson said the event was "staged by the illegitimate Maduro regime." </li><li>The two captured Americans were reportedly <a href="https://apnews.com/79346b4e428676424c0e5669c80fc310">hired</a> for the mission by Jordan Goudreau, <a href="https://apnews.com/79346b4e428676424c0e5669c80fc310">also</a> a former Green Beret and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-07-01/how-green-beret-jordan-goudreau-tried-to-oust-venezuela-s-maduro">founder</a> of the contracting company Silvercorp USA. </li><li>A combination of red flags seen in the footage released by <keyword id="2723" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Venezuela">Venezuela</keyword> and reports that the government <a href="https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2020/05/11/gobierno-de-maduro-sabia-de-la-incursion-a-venezuela-al-menos-un-mes-antes-de-que-ocurriera/#0">knew</a> about the mission weeks before the capture suggests that the mission was <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-53557235">infiltrated</a> by Maduro loyalists.</li></ul>In May, reports surfaced of a supposed failed coup against the Venezuelan government. Headlines called the event "Bay of Piglets," or "Keystone Coup," and footage released by the Venezuelan government seemed to back up the nicknames. The footage showed a ragtag group of men who appear to be under-prepared; a few of the men were shirtless and had their passports on them. According to President Nicolás Maduro, eight people were killed and dozens more were captured. Among the captured men were two American former Green Berets.But the footage, as well as circumstances leading up to the event, created a few red flags. Business Insider spoke with the brother of captured American Luke Denman, the U.S. State Department, and Juan José Rendón, a former advisor to Venezuela opposition leader <keyword id="10141201" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="juan-guaid">Juan Guaidó</keyword>, to understand what aspects of this complex story are rooted in fact, and what aspects may have been constructed by the Venezuelan government.Following is a transcript of the <keyword id="21654" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="video">video</keyword>. Narrator: In May, this Venezuela State TV footage made headlines around the world. Venezuelan security rounding up a ragtag group of men in a village on the country's northern coast. Some of the captured men were wearing no shoes or shirts at all. Interrogator: What's your name? Luke Denman: Luke Alexander Denman. Narrator: Two of the men captured were Americans, ex-US Army Green Berets. And Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro said dozens more were captured and eight men killed. Nicolás Maduro: They have been detained, surrendered, and submitted by the law of Venezuela. Narrator: Maduro said the men planned to enter Venezuela on its northern coast and make their way to Caracas, where they would attempt to kidnap him. Many reports about the footage characterized it as the aftermath of an attempted but failed coup against the current Venezuelan government. But the US State Department called this footage "propaganda." In a statement to Business Insider, a spokesperson called it "scripted, coordinated, and staged by the illegitimate Maduro regime." Mark Denman: Something had gone terribly wrong. Narrator: Business Insider spoke to Luke Denman's brother, Mark, along with the US State Department and other key figures to try and understand what happened in May and what happens next. Jordan Goudreau: At 1700 hours, a daring amphibious raid was launched from the border of Colombia deep into the heart of Caracas. Narrator: This is the man behind the mission. Jordan Goudreau, also a former US Green Beret and founder of a private-security firm called Silvercorp USA. Goudreau reportedly planned the mission, known as Operation Gideon, that led to the two Americans being captured. But his whereabouts are currently unknown. Goudreau: We manage risk. Anywhere, anytime, any situation. Narrator: In this promotional video from Silvercorp's Instagram, Goudreau is presented as an athletic, adventurous, very patriotic soldier for hire. Born in Canada, Goudreau eventually became a US citizen and joined the Army Special Forces. He served for about 15 years, and during that time, he met Luke Denman and Airan Berry. Denman: He was their, from what I understand, their superior officer, and heavily respected guy that had a lot more time in than they did. Narrator: After his service, Goudreau founded Silvercorp USA in 2018. In February 2019, Goudreau was reportedly hired to work security at a concert event on the border of Venezuela and Colombia. He posted this video to Silvercorp's Instagram account with the caption: "Venezuela Aid Live. Controlling chaos on the Venezuela border where a dictator looks on with apprehension." The dictator in question seems to be Maduro. Mike Pompeo: We're here to urge all nations to support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people as they try to free themselves from former President Maduro's illegitimate mafia state. Narrator: Opposition parties in Venezuela have long claimed that Maduro's 2018 presidential election did not meet international democratic standards. Which is where Juan Guaidó's name comes in. Pompeo: The time is now to support the Venezuelan people, to recognize the new democratic government led by interim president Guaidó, and end this nightmare. Narrator: Guaidó, the president of the National Assembly, claimed the title of interim leader in January 2019. And political bodies including the European Union, the Lima Group, and the US government recognize the 37-year-old opposition leader as the legitimate president of Venezuela. And Guaidó's team was looking for ways to get Maduro out. Juan Rendón: So, President Guaidó said, "OK, everything's over the table. And under the table, too." Narrator: Juan José Rendón, otherwise known as <keyword id="10141200" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jj-rendn">JJ Rendón</keyword>, worked as an advisor to Juan Guaidó. Rendón: So when they say that, and they say, "OK, explore everything," we explore different scenarios of use of force. Narrator: Jordan Goudreau was working on one such scenario of his own. A few months after posting this video, Goudreau traveled to Bogotá, where he met <keyword id="10141202" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="clver-alcal">Clíver Alcalá</keyword>, a former Venezuelan Army general. Juan Cruz: This is a person who was one of the generals close to Chávez when Chávez was president. Narrator: This is Juan Cruz, a former member of the National Security Council who served as a special assistant to President Trump. Cruz: When Maduro comes on the scene, there's a falling-out. That wasn't uncommon. He was one of the individuals that was too often associated with saying out loud that he wanted to displace or overthrow Maduro. Narrator: The Associated Press reported that Alcalá said he had a training camp with a few dozen men in Colombia. And Goudreau said Silvercorp could train them. So he sought the backing of Guaidó's government, which led him to JJ Rendón. Rendón: With Jordan, he asked to have a moment to pitch his company. He said that he was in contact with the Venezuelans in Colombia. And they were in touch, and they were planning something. Narrator: Rendón said Goudreau told him the cost of the mission itself would be covered by a secret group of backers and that upon completion, he wanted a payment of $212 million. Rendón: He said that he has this plan and that he has his people and that he has backers. Interesting. "Who are they?" "Oh, I cannot reveal to you." OK. But if you have big backers with a big army ready to go, we wanna know about it. And we want that to be aligned, or at least under the supervision of our government. Narrator: That's when Rendón began to grow suspicious. Rendón: Those were enough red flags to back off. So we sit and say, "Look, my friend, we are not moving with that." Narrator: Rendón said he and Guaidó's government cut all ties with Goudreau, paying him only $50,000 for any expenses and to wash their hands clean. Rendón: It was like, let's get out of this. "Oh, my expenses." "OK, there you go. How much you spent?" "$43,500." "OK. In case you've missed something, I will give you $50,000." Narrator: But preparations at the camp in Colombia continued with the help of the two former Green Berets. Here's Luke Denman's older brother, Mark. Denman: Luke's saying this is a US-government-backed operation, back in February the 2nd. Narrator: We interviewed Mark via Skype on June 15. Denman: What he told me, he was training Venezuelans in Colombia and had no intention of going to Venezuela at all. Narrator: But obviously that's not what happened. Goudreau: At 1700 hours, a daring amphibious raid was launched. Narrator: The same day Goudreau posted this video announcing the mission had launched, the Venezuelan government released its footage of an operation that had seemingly been thwarted by Maduro's security team. Officer:: In the group are two Americans, two gringos? Man: They are detained. Officer: Where do they work? What do they do? Man: They are intermediaries. They are from the security chiefs of the president of the United States. Venezuelan officer: From Trump! Man: Yes. Narrator: The global media covered the story like something out of a Hollywood movie. Headlines like "Bay of Piglets" and "Keystone Coup" portrayed the captured Americans as wannabe heroes who led a botched operation that one writer described as something out of "a bad Rambo movie." But according to Luke Denman's brother, Mark, what you can see in the footage raised red flags. Denman: I mean, the guy was arrested in shorts and a T-shirt with his passport and driver's license on him. And I know that people like to have a lot of fun with that, but if you can kinda look at this realistically, all of these guys are guys that have gone on many combat missions with combat loads and combat gear. I don't think that he suddenly thought that going into combat in shorts, T-shirt, no shoes, with his passport on him and no weapon was a good idea. It doesn't really add up. Guaidó: We will not need foreign mercenaries. Narrator: In a statement, Guaidó denied any involvement and said the operation was "infiltrated and financed" by the Maduro administration. And a key event that occurred over a month before supports the idea that Operation Gideon was in fact infiltrated. Guaidó: No one believes your lies. William Tarek Saab: A criminal investigation has been opened by the Public Ministry against Guaidó, Alcalá, and others involved in this attempted coup. Narrator: On March 23, more than a month before the capture, Venezuela's government announced that $500,000 worth of weapons were seized en route to a training camp in Riohacha, Colombia. During this press conference, the minister of communication and information also identified the three Americans involved in the camp. This means the Venezuelan government was not only aware of a plot to oust Maduro, but it also knew exactly who was involved. US prosecutors then indicted Clíver Alcalá on drug-trafficking charges, and he turned himself in to US authorities. Cruz: Things started to collapse a little. When he's removed from the scene, you and I probably would have taken a step back and reevaluated what we had and planned for another, for plan B or plan C. In this case, it appears that Goudreau and others that were still associated with it decided that they were gonna move forward. Narrator: One reason the operation continued to move forward may have been the $15 million reward offered by the US government for information leading to Maduro's arrest. And so, without Guaidó's support, without Alcalá, and with the Maduro administration well aware of the plan, Goudreau's team continued forward. Only to be captured. Cruz: There are probably three possibilities, and I would say probably all three come into play. One is bad operational security, known as OPSEC. People probably writing emails and having phone conversations and calling back home. Second is deliberate infiltrations or penetrations, where you, ahead of time, move somebody to appear to be part of the group who in reality was sent there by the bad guys to keep a finger on the pulse. Lastly, there are those that might be victimized in this. You can certainly imagine where there would be one of these guys, and somebody on the other end in Venezuela sends him a picture of his grandmother with a 9-millimeter in her mouth. And these guys say, "Hey, you either tell us what you're up to, or else." Narrator: It's unclear when and where these men were intercepted by Venezuelan security forces and at what stage of planning they were at. Cruz: Clearly, the point is that what these guys were doing was known to elements of the regime. Narrator: One thing that's certain: Goudreau was not with Berry and Denman when they were captured. And meanwhile, Venezuelan State TV released footage of the two Americans... Interrogator: What were the objectives of the mission? Narrator: Giving what the government called confessions. Denman: The only instructions that I received from Jordan was to ensure that we took control of an airport for a safe passage for Maduro. Mark Denman: What we're calling a confession video, I mean, we're acting like this is somebody that was read their Miranda rights. I don't think those confession videos are their own words. They're kind of being prompted, they're heavily edited. Being held in some unknown environment and reading off a script essentially on what it is they're confessing to. Luke Denman: My responsibilities to Silvercorp are written in a contract. Narrator: The so-called confession videos released by Maduro's government also feature a document with Guaidó's name on it. Berry: Signed by Juan Guaidó, Jordan Goudreau, and Juan Rendón. Narrator: But Rendón maintains that he only signed an exploratory agreement and questions the validity of Guaidó's signature on the document shown. Interrogator: Who commands Jordan? Denman: President Donald Trump. Mark Denman: From what he understood, this was a US-government-backed operation. His very trusted friend brought him in on it. It was for a cause he believed in. Narrator: Although Luke Denman may have believed the mission had the support of the US government, the State Department flatly denies it. Pompeo: There was no US government direct involvement in this operation. If we'd have been involved, it would've gone differently. Narrator: Trump also disavowed any US involvement in the plot. Trump: We just heard about it. But whatever it is, we'll let you know. But it has nothing to do with our government. Narrator: Amid all of this, Mark Denman says it has become almost impossible to hire legal support for his brother since the United States doesn't recognize Maduro's government as legitimate. Denman: I'm supposed to work through the legal process. However, because of the situation in Venezuela, there is no legal process to work through. So that's the catch-22 of it. That process doesn't exist, and how are they lawfully detained by a government you don't recognize? Interrogator: Why did you train irregular groups as special forces to invade Venezuela? Denman: I believed that it was helping their cause. Mark Denman: Luke is a strong guy. He's mentally strong; he's physically strong. He's been through training for exactly this kind of thing. And we're confident that he can handle what he's going through, and we're doing everything we can to get him back. Narrator: This interview was recorded on June 15. On August 8, his brother Luke and Airan Berry were sentenced to 20 years in prison. In a statement to Business Insider, the US State Department said: In the meantime, Alcalá remains in US custody and is reportedly cooperating with authorities. A federal investigation is looking into Goudreau on suspicion of arms trafficking, and Goudreau is also wanted in Colombia. He did not respond to Business Insider's requests for comment. [men shouting] And on September 3, Colombian authorities announced the arrest of four Venezuelan nationals on allegations they conspired to plan the operation, with President Iván Duque noting the allegations that Maduro financed it. If that's true, these events in May on the Venezuelan coast could have been orchestrated by Maduro's regime, building a narrative that tightens his grip on Venezuela. And Denman and Berry may have just been pawns in all of it.

How two ex-Green Berets were lured into a disastrous failed coup in Venezuela

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Venezuelan state television broadcast apparent confessions from former US Special Forces soldiers, detailing an alleged plot to kidnap President Nicolás <keyword id="1594026" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Maduro">Maduro</keyword> and bring him to the US. </li><li>On Monday, Maduro identified two US service members, Luke Denman and Airan Berry, and said they were part of a failed coup. </li><li>Denman has said that he was acting under the order of President Donald Trump, a claim that Maduro reiterated. But US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has denied the US government's "direct involvement."</li><li>Former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venezuela-claims-us-mercenaries-among-those-nabbed-after-raid-2020-5">has claimed responsibility for "Operation Gideon,"</a> the alleged plan to remove <keyword id="2723" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Venezuela">Venezuela</keyword>'s socialist leader.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Venezuelan state media broadcast an apparent confession from former US service member Airan Berry, who detailed an alleged plot to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and bring him to the US. On Monday, Maduro <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venezuela-claims-us-mercenaries-among-those-nabbed-after-raid-2020-5">said</a> that two US citizens were arrested with a group of "mercenaries" who had planned to overthrow his government. The two men were identified as former US Special Forces soldiers Luke Denman and Airan Berry.In an edited confession <a href="https://twitter.com/camilateleSUR/status/1258467638059184131">broadcast by Venezuelan state television</a> on Thursday, Berry, 41, detailed the alleged plot, explaining that his group planned to raid Maduro's palace before taking him away "however necessary."Asked where the aircraft carrying Maduro would have taken him, Berry said, "I assume that it is the United States."According to Berry, the targets of the alleged plot included Venezuela's intelligence service and the country's military counterintelligence agency, DGCIM, as well as Maduro's presidential palace and a Caracas airbase control tower. Berry said his role was to coordinate with Jordan Goudreau, an ex-Green Beret and the founder of the Florida security consulting firm Silvercorp USA, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venezuela-claims-us-mercenaries-among-those-nabbed-after-raid-2020-5">who has claimed</a> that he sent Denman and Berry to take part in the mission. Goudreau, who called the alleged plot "Operation Gideon," <a href="https://apnews.com/5f44624bb7442d85e431cd64a4aed3a8">said on Monday</a> that the objective was capturing Maduro and "liberating" Venezuela from its socialist leader.On Wednesday, Denman <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/06/venezuela-maduro-abduction-plot-luke-denman-americans-captured">delivered an apparent confession on Venezuelan state TV,</a> in which he said he was tasked with securing the airport and obtaining planes to carry Maduro back to the US. "I thought I was helping Venezuelans take back control of their country," he said. Denman also said that he was acting under the order of President Donald Trump, a claim that Maduro reiterated on Wednesday. <div type="image" title="President Nicolas Maduro shows what Venezuelan authorities claim are identification documents of former U.S. Special Forces soldiers Airan Berry and Luke Denman during a press conference on May 6, 2020." height="1334" width="2000" msid="75631433" hostid="261"></div>"Donald Trump is behind all of this," Maduro <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/06/venezuela-maduro-abduction-plot-luke-denman-americans-captured">said during a public broadcast</a>, claiming that the operation has been commissioned by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. Both <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-06/trump-denies-us-role-in-venezuela-incursion/12218344">Trump</a> and <a href="https://www.voanews.com/americas/opposition-leader-denies-ties-venezuela-invasion-plotters">Guaido</a> have denied any involvement. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/special-forces-venezuela-raid-americans-mike-pompeo-2020-5">On Wednesday</a>, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also denied the US government was responsible for the plot. "There was no US government direct involvement in this operation," Pompeo told reporters. "If we'd have been involved, it would have gone differently."Pompeo said that the US was prepared to "use every tool" to bring the American men back from Venezuela. He declined to give additional information on who funded the alleged operation.Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venezuela-tv-apparent-confession-airan-berry-nicolas-maduro-kidnap-plot-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

On Venezuelan TV, a former Special Forces soldier claimed President Donald Trump ordered the mission to kidnap President Nicolás Maduro

Miami, May 8 (AP) Three Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are demanding answers from the Trump administration about how much it knew about an attempted raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an operation they said potentially violated US law and ran counter to American support for negotiations to end the South American country's political standoff.In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Attorney General William Barr and Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, the lawmakers led by Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut expressed "alarm" about the raid led by a former Green Beret and which has resulted in the detention in Venezuela of two American citizens."Either the US government was unaware of these planned operations, or was aware and allowed them to proceed," according to the letter sent on Thursday. "Both possibilities are problematic."The letter cited the findings of an Associated Press investigation into Jordan Goudreau, who claimed responsibility for the foiled incursion. The AP investigation detailed how Goudreau, through his Florida private security firm, had teamed up with a retired Venezuelan army official to train at secret camps in Colombia dozens of deserters from Venezuela's security forces for a mission targeting Maduro, for whose capture the US has offered a USD 15 million bounty.Trump has denied any US involvement in the raid and Goudreau has said he was unable to ever persuade the Trump administration to support his bold plan for a private coup.Maduro has insisted the operation was directed by the White House.Meanwhile, aides to Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader recognised by the US and 60 other nations as Venezuela's rightful leader, have acknowledged exploring the idea last year but said they quickly backed out after deciding Goudreau could not deliver or be trusted.The letter, which was also signed by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico, cites provisions in the VERDAD Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in late 2019, that state it is US policy to support diplomatic engagement to bring a negotiated and peaceful end to Venezuela's political, economic and humanitarian crisis."Such incursions harm the prospects for a peaceful democratic transition in Venezuela by insinuating that an armed intervention is a viable option to resolve the crisis, potentially undermining the willingness of hard-line opposition actors to negotiate, while simultaneously allowing Maduro to rally support to his side, strengthening his hand," the lawmakers wrote.The letter contains six lines of questions about US officials' awareness of Goudreau's plans and whether the administration had taken any steps to prevent his actions and make sure US assistance was not directly or indirectly provided to those involved.It also seeks the intelligence community's assessment about the legitimacy of a contract that Goudreau has presented and that he says was signed by Guaidó and two Miami-based aides allegedly authorising his actions."Maduro is a dictator, and the Venezuelan people deserve to live in a democracy again," the Democrats wrote. "But that will only be achieved through vigorous and effective diplomacy, not martial adventurism."Officials in Venezuela said on Thursday that they have now captured 23 people involved in the botched attack.They also aired a video showing Airan Berry, one of the two captured Americans, answering questions about the operation.Dressed in a gray T-shirt with the word "MOSCOW" written on it, Berry says he signed on with Silvercorp to train between 50 and 60 men in the Colombian city of Riohacha and then accompany the rebels into Caracas."What were the objectives of the mission?" an off-camera interrogator asks in halting English."I believe it was to attain specific targets. And to, I think, get Maduro," Berry responds. (AP) RC

Democrats press Trump for answers on foiled Venezuela raid

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Trump's legal team is attempting to overturn the result of the election, which according to experts is essential a <keyword id="6536268" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coup">coup</keyword> attempt.</li><li>The attempt has produced some genuinely sad moments that make the embarrassing electoral loss look even worse.</li><li>This is an <keyword id="6356002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="opinion">opinion</keyword> column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.</li></ul>It feels like years ago now, but back in May, two former US Special Forces members, along with 60 Venezuelan mercenaries, <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/5/11/21249203/venezuela-coup-jordan-goudreau-maduro-guaido-explain">attempted to kidnap</a> dictatorial Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and inspire a coup to overthrow his government.The anti-Maduro squad planned the raid for months, but a series of <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/05/dumbest-aspects-of-the-mercenary-coup-plot-in-venezuela.html">mind-numbingly stupid miscues</a> prevented them from even stepping foot in Maduro's compound. They were eventually captured by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/freedom-fighters-led-by-american-tried-invading-venezuela-11588722164">local fishermen</a>.In a constellation of dumb miscues, there was one particularly head-scratching mistake. Silvercorp, the private security firm that backed the coup attempt, was inexplicably live-Tweeting the beginning of the attack.<div type="image" title="SIlvercorp coup tweet" height="111" width="580" msid="79353617" hostid="261"></div>Besides the fact that "strikeforce incursion" sounds like the subtitle for a Call of Duty game, one could not even begin to wrap their head around how dumb this was. You don't have to study at West Point to know that a secret coup attempt requires an element of...secrecy. Thankfully for those involved in this colossal failure, it may only rank as the second-most embarrassing attempt at seizing power this year. Despite President-elect Joe Biden's commanding electoral and popular vote margins, sitting President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> is refusing to concede and attempting to throw out the legitimate results of the election.At the behest of the country's chief angry man, his lawyers — most notably former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani — are trying to overturn the results by undermining the vote-counting process and forcing delays anywhere they can. Much like the attempted coup in Venezuela, there are a lot of dumb things happening right now.<h2>Stop the presses</h2>There has been <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/11/trump-failed-coup-danger.html">some debate</a> about whether Trump's actions <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-coup-stage-of-donald-trumps-presidency">qualify as a "coup d'etat,'</a> or the removal of an existing government. While Joe Biden's administration is still attempting to transition, it's clear that Trump is trying to stop the whole process. Harvard Law Professor Charles Fried <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/11/10/nation/if-it-succeeded-it-would-be-coup-legal-experts-weigh-trump-teams-election-challenges/">told the Boston Globe</a> that "if it succeeded, it would be a coup."Giuliani has consistently argued — through <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/politics/giuliani-trump-legal-team-press-briefing-fact-check/index.html">tangents, lies</a>, and <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetillman/giuliani-voter-fraud-lies-trump-lawsuit-michigan?bftwnews&amp;utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgcqpgc">thinly-veiled racism</a> — that a large portion of the votes against Trump shouldn't count. They aren't interested in the Democratic process because it's a process that doesn't allow them a path to victory. This is an attempted coup, regardless of how inept it is.One of the hallmarks of Trump's attempted coup has been the nonsensical press conference. First there was the November 7 presser that was held in the lot of a landscaping company in Philadelphia. Trump's team meant to book the luxury Four Seasons hotel to formally launch their voter-fraud case into the public eye, and Trump even Tweeted as much.<div type="image" title="Screen Shot 2020 11 20 at 2.53.48 PM" height="183" width="681" msid="79353619" hostid="261"></div>Somehow, a mistake was made, and the crew ended up at a different "Four Seasons," Four Seasons: Total Landscaping, a gardening business in north Philly. This is an image that serves as a perfect visual parallel for the proponents of this coup. They started off with a whimper, broadcasting their election conspiracy theories from a small landscaping business <a href="https://news.avclub.com/guy-who-owns-sex-shop-next-to-four-seasons-total-landsc-1845643003">located in between a crematorium and a sex shop.</a><div type="image" title="rudy giuliani sweat" height="512" width="1024" msid="79353621" hostid="261"></div>Then there was the scene we saw on Thursday, when Rudy's profuse perspiration caused his hair dye to drip down the sides of his face. The malfunction says nothing about the merit of his argument, but provides us with an apt analogy for the absurdity of this legal team's larger goal. Reporters asking for evidence of Trump's claims were met with misdirects and vitriol, illustrating that Rudy and his team will (quite literally) melt under even the most basic forms of journalistic pressure. This is the look of someone who is definitely not operating in good faith.Rudy was followed up by another of Trump's zany lawyers, Jenna Ellis. Never mind that Ellis <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/politics/kfile-jenna-ellis-2016-trump-comments/index.html">called Trump an "idiot"</a> in 2016, because now she's here to defend him. She scolded reporters for complaining that the conference contained little evidence, saying that they didn't "understand the legal process at all." Yes, reporters would do well to understand the legal process as much as Trump's team, who during the same conference <a href="http://hollywoodreporter.com/news/my-cousin-vinny-director-responds-to-rudy-giuliani-press-conference-mention?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twittertter">referred to a scene from the movie</a> <a href="http://hollywoodreporter.com/news/my-cousin-vinny-director-responds-to-rudy-giuliani-press-conference-mention?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twittertter">"My Cousin Vinny"</a> to make a point.<h2>All the president's men</h2>Even more damaging to this coup's already laughable reputation is the fact that its existence is making things more difficult for the party that ostensibly supports it. Faced with a new president-elect, Republicans are rejecting reality and playing cute with Trump's wild conspiracy theories. Instead of moving forward with a routine transition, most GOP lawmakers are refusing to do the bare minimum and acknowledge Biden rightfully won the election. And this has consequences: 70% of Republicans now <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/10/election-trust-polling-study-republicans">believe that the election was rigged</a>.According to reporting by Politico, many prominent Republicans are afraid to even acknowledge Biden <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/18/conservatives-biden-presidential-transition-437945?nname=playbook&amp;nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&amp;nrid=0000016c-a5de-d088-a3ef-b7df92720000&amp;nlid=630318;nlid=630318">out of fear of appearing as traitors</a> to Trump. The fear of recognizing the win is hamstringing their efforts to prepare to oppose Biden's appointments and agenda. The obsession with voter fraud and refusal to accept the results has left many of the party's operatives in limbo. It's hard to promote your post-election agenda when you are discouraged from acknowledging that there is a post-election in the first place. Even down-ballot Republican candidates are taking Trump's lead by <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/republican-candidates-follow-trump-s-lead-not-concede-their-races-n1247683">refusing to concede</a> their races, leaving the party at large in a bit of disarray.Perhaps the most embarrassing aspect of all is the fact that in the courts, Trump's challenges are producing the exact opposite effect he'd like. It is from a kind of grey area that Trump keeps pushing his voter-fraud message into oblivion. The claim can exist as long as it is not scrutinized, because once it is scrutinized, the game is over. However, by pushing for recounts and opposing certifications, Trump's legal team <a href="https://www.axios.com/trump-election-challenges-loss-biden-fb42c9df-485d-4494-aeb2-6b2acadeb32a.html">is accidentally confirming the result of the election</a>, because, again, there was no widespread voter fraud in the first place.The cases are so lousy that even Trump's hand-picked Supreme Court nominees <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supreme-court-hear-trump-election-lawsuits-time-running-out-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">don't want anything to do with them</a>. The Supreme Court has so far ignored an attempt by the Trump campaign in intervene in a case involving mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania. Michael Dorf, a constitutional-law professor at Cornell Law School, told Business Insider's Jacob Shamsian that the delay — despite the state's impending vote certification deadline — likely means that the Court wants nothing to do with Trump's shenanigans. It's hard to predict what Trump will do in his waning hours of defeat. Pundit and talk show host Bill Maher has been adamant that Trump will not willingly leave the White House, and President Obama even joked that <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/barack-obama-joke-navy-seals-remove-trump-the-white-house/">the Navy Seals may have to drag him out</a>.It's clear that all of this is happening because Trump views his electoral loss as an embarrassment, but the embarrassment of the loss itself pales in comparison to the attempt to overturn it. However it ends — and it will end soon — this will go down as the saddest attempt at a coup in American history.

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Top US diplomat says 'it's our responsibility' to bring back any Americans from botched, unsanctioned raid in Venezuela

David Choi

Trump denies ties to Venezuelan attack with 2 US men jailed

PTI

How two ex-Green Berets were lured into a disastrous failed coup in Venezuela

Graham Flanagan

On Venezuelan TV, a former Special Forces soldier claimed President Donald Trump ordered the mission to kidnap President Nicolás Maduro

Rosie Perper

Democrats press Trump for answers on foiled Venezuela raid

PTI

Trump's embarrassing, incompetent, humiliating, very sad coup

Manny Fidel

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