Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared the apprehension of two U.S. citizens, a day after an unsuccessful beach raid allegedly intended to capture him.
In a nationwide address on Monday, May 4, Maduro showcased a pair of blue U.S. passports and disclosed the names and birth dates on them. He also exhibited images of the fishing boats used by the alleged attackers, along with walkie-talkies and night-vision glasses recovered from the scene. Despite attributing the attack to the Trump administration and neighboring Colombia, both countries have refuted the allegation.
Maduro, who commended members of a fishing village for apprehending one group involved, referred to them as “professional American mercenaries” and accused the United States government of full involvement in the failed raid.
He identified the two U.S. citizens arrested on Monday as Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former U.S. special forces soldiers.
The ex-Green Beret, Jordan Goudreau, based in Florida, claimed that he was collaborating with the two men in a mission aimed at “liberating” Venezuela. Goudreau took responsibility for Sunday’s operation, which Venezuelan authorities stated resulted in eight fatalities. He disclosed that the two U.S. citizens had served with him in the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Goudreau also confirmed that the men were part of a mission in Venezuela called “Operation Gideon,” with the objective of taking President Maduro into custody.
Goudreau alleged that he had contracted with the U.S.-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó to topple Maduro, a claim Guaidó denied. Goudreau asserted that the opposition politician did not fulfill the contract, prompting him to proceed with an underfunded operation involving just 60 fighters, including the two U.S. veterans.
He further disclosed that his final contact with Denman and Berry occurred when they were adrift in a boat along the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, following an initial confrontation with the Venezuelan Navy on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of eight Venezuelans.
He added;
“They were running dangerously low on fuel. If they had gone onto landfall, they would have gone to a safe house.”
According to Goudreau, the operation received no support from Guaidó, the U.S., or Colombian governments.
Venezuelan officials stated that they detained eight “mercenaries” on Monday, including National Guardsman Capt. Antonio Sequea, who participated in a barracks revolt against Maduro a year ago. Goudreau claimed that Sequea was a commander collaborating with him on the ground in Venezuela. Venezuelan state TV exhibited authorities apprehending a shirtless Sequia in handcuffs.
Maduro’s ally and Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, announced the arrest of 114 individuals suspected of involvement in the attack, with 92 others still being pursued.
Venezuela has been gripped by an escalating political and economic crisis under Maduro’s leadership. Despite nearly 5 million people fleeing due to deteriorating public services such as running water, electricity, and medical care, Maduro remains in control of all power levers, despite ongoing efforts led by the U.S. to remove him. The U.S. government recently indicted Maduro for drug trafficking and offered a $15 million reward for his capture.