Trump’s “Bay of Pigs” in Venezuela (Dossier)
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that it was “alarmed” by the news of foreign mercenaries, including those with links to the US special services, attempting to land in Venezuela. Considering Washington’s “obsession” with deposing Maduro and statements that “all options are on the table” in order to achieve this goal, President Donald Trump’s words that the US had nothing to do with the failed incursion “sound unconvincing,” the ministry pointed out in a statement on Facebook.
The move against the Latin American state deserved even more condemnation as it was performed against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, which poses a major threat to Venezuela, the Foreign Ministry added.
Moscow again underlined its eagerness to do “everything that’s needed” for the people of Venezuela to be able to decide the fate of their country on their own, and that all sides, including those supporting Washington’s protege Juan Guaido, should sit at the negotiating table.
Former members of the US special operations forces, Luke Denman and Airan Berry, employed by the Florida-based security firm Silvercorp, were detained by the Venezuelan military. They were captured as part of a group of mercenaries who tried to reach the country’s shores in a speedboat on Monday. Venezuelan authorities said the operation was part of a coup attempt aimed at assassinating Maduro.
In an interrogation tape released on Wednesday, Denman confessed that his goal in Venezuela was to gain control of an airport so that a kidnapped Maduro could be put on a plane and taken to the US.
“It has nothing to do with our government,” Trump insisted on Tuesday. His administration has said many times that it wanted Maduro removed from power, however, promising a bounty of $15 million for information that would lead to the arrest of Venezuela’s socialist leader. Washington was also the first to recognize and actively support his main rival, Juan Guaido.
In a speech late last year, Trump himself said that “all options are on the table” for Venezuela, including a military scenario.
3. Delivering Maduro to America was objective of failed Venezuelan incursion – US mercenary says in interrogation tape
Two employees of Florida-based security firm, Silvercorp, have been detained by Venezuelan forces in connection with the failed invasion.
The only instructions he received before Sunday’s botched operation was to take control of the airport in order to facilitate the transfer of Maduro to the US, Luke Denman, one of the detained Americans, said in the footage.
Denman also claimed that there was a good payout waiting for him following the successful completion of the risky mission. “I expected anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000,” he said.
#EnVideo ???? | Testimonio del terrorista estadounidense Luke Alexander Denman quien afirma que la empresa Silvercorp tiene operaciones terroristas en Venezuela#EscudoBolivarianoTiburón2020 pic.twitter.com/FIyvvkfRK1
— VTV CANAL 8 (@VTVcanal8) May 6, 2020
Maduro announced on Wednesday that Denman and fellow Silvercorp employee, Airan Berry, will go on trial in Venezuela. Caracas will also be demanding Washington extradite Silvercorp boss, Jordan Goudreau, as he was the one who allegedly coordinated the actions of the mercenaries.
In his comments after the broadcast of the interrogation tape, Maduro insisted that “Donald Trump is the direct chief of this invasion.”
Washington has made little secret of its desire to see Venezuela’s socialist president removed from power. It has been actively supporting opposition figure Juan Guaido, who declared himself ‘interim president’ in January 2019, and it even offered a reward of $15 million for any information leading to Maduro’s arrest.
However, Trump was quick to deny any involvement by the US administration in the failed Venezuelan incursion.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged that the White House would use “every tool” in order to bring the two Americans – who used to serve in US special operations forces – back home.
ALSO ON RT.COM‘Invasion by sea’: Venezuela thwarts ‘mercenary’ infiltration attempt from Colombia
Denman and Berry, along with 11 other ‘foreign mercenaries’, were arrested by Venezuelan security forces on Monday as they were intercepted while allegedly trying to reach the country’s shore by speedboat.
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