Caracas - A former US soldier captured in
Venezuela said on Wednesday that he had been contracted by a
Florida security firm to seize control of Caracas' airport and
bring in a plane to fly President Nicolas Maduro to the United
States.
Venezuelan authorities on Monday arrested the man, Luke
Denman, along with fellow US citizen Airan Berry and 11
others, in what Maduro has called a failed plot coordinated with
Washington to oust him.
During questioning broadcast on state television, Denman
said the firm, Silvercorp USA, had signed a contract with
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to seek Maduro's
removal. A Guaido advisor told CNN on Wednesday that he had
signed an exploratory agreement, but it had never been finalised
and the opposition did not support the attempted incursion.
US President Donald Trump has denied involvement. A senior
Trump administration official said Maduro's accusations of a
US role "are not credible" and the administration remained
focused on "achieving a peaceful, democratic transition in
Venezuela."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that the
US government would use "every tool" to secure the Americans'
return, if they were being held in Venezuela.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING| Luke Denman, one of the mercenaries captured while trying to penetrate Venezuelan territorial waters confess: pic.twitter.com/s7yEU0numo
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)
In the video, Denman, 34, answered questions from a person
off-camera speaking in English
Denman, who looked calm and wore a gray t-shirt, said his
mission was to secure the airport and establish outer security.
He did not give details on how his group planned to get Maduro
on a plane.
It was unclear when or where the video was made, and where
Denman and Berry are being held.
In March, the US Department of Justice charged Maduro and
a dozen other current and former Venezuelan officials with
"narco-terrorism" and the Trump administration offered a reward
of $15 million for information leading to his arrest.
"I was helping Venezuelans take back control of their
country," Denman, a former special operations forces member,
said in the video.
Denman said he and Berry were contracted by Jordan Goudreau,
a US military veteran who leads Silvercorp, to train 50 to 60
Venezuelans in Colombia in January for the operation. Goudreau
supplied the group with equipment, Denman said.
Goudreau confirmed his role as organizer of the operation in
media interviews on Sunday and told Reuters on Monday that
Denman and Berry were "my guys." He could not be immediately
reached for comment on Wednesday.
Venezuelan authorities said they arrested the group by the
isolated coastal town of Chuao, about 60 kilometers (40 miles)
west of Caracas' airport, after locals raised suspicions.
Authorities published photos of what they said was the group's
boat, loaded with ammunition, weapons and communication
equipment.
Eight people involved in the same operation were killed on
Sunday in La Guaira state, near Caracas, Maduro's government
said.
During a televised virtual press conference on Wednesday,
Maduro originally said he would show videos of the two
Americans, but did not end up showing a video of Berry. He said
Venezuela would seek Goudreau's extradition.
"Donald Trump is the direct chief of this invasion," Maduro
added.
Guaido's team, in a statement earlier this week, said they
had "no relationship with any company in the security and
defense branch," including Silvercorp.
But on Wednesday, Juan Rendon, a Guaido advisor and member
of his strategic committee, told CNN that he had signed an
"exploratory agreement" with Silvercorp to seek the capture of
members of Maduro's government "to deliver them to justice."
Rendon said the preliminary agreement was never executed or
completed and Goudreau sent the soldiers on a "botched suicide"
mission without Guaido's support.
After Denman's televised statement, a US State Department
spokesman said that "due to privacy considerations" it would
have no further comment about the two Americans alleged to be in
Venezuelan custody.