Venezuelan TV Exposed Failed Incursion Over a Month Before It Happened. Named both Americans ultimately captured in the plot
(May 11, 2020) — More information is emerging on last week’s failed regime plot in Venezuela, as it revealed that Venezuelan state media actually laid out parts of the plan during a show on March 28, over a month before it actually happened.
During the show, photographs of Silvercorp USA head Jordan Goudreau were shown, calling him a “mercenary.” The two Americans captured during the plot, Luke Denman and Airan Berry, were both named during episode.
Goudreau had been pitching the plot since well before this TV episode, trying to secure investors who wanted to bankroll a coup. The small number of plotters compared to documents from the planning stages suggest there were few investors.
The Trump Administration has denied ties to this plot, though Goudreau was pitching it to investors as an approved scheme, and Venezuela continues to believe Silvercorp USA is a “shell company” for carrying out plots like this.
Green Beret Veteran Pitched Venezuela Coup to Colorado Investors, Claiming Trump Ties
Goudreau sought $750 million to conquer Venezuela and take the oilfields. Venezuela now demanding extradition of Goudreau.
(May 10, 2020) — Information surrounding last week’s failed incursion into Venezuela continues to emerge with the release of documents related to the planning stages in 2019, and the revelation that Silvercorp USA was courting “investors” in the takeover of Venezuela at the time.
The documents implied Silvercorp USA had ties to the Trump Administration, and sought to raise $750 million to execute the takeover of Venezuela on behalf of opposition leader Juan Guaido, noting that Trump had already endorsed Guaido’s takeover of the country.
Once they succeeded, the plan was to take control of Venezuela’s oilfields and would turn a profit from the sale of oil after the coup. One of the investors solicited said Silvercorp USA leader Jordan Goudreau claimed the scheme had State Department backing.
While the budget calls for funding and equipment for hundreds of people and a 30-day operation, Venezuela foiled the incursion in a matter of hours, capturing what was only a few dozen plotters. The American plotters captured suggested the plan was to kidnap President Maduro, conquer the Caracas airport, and spirit him to the US to collect the bounty on him. It doesn’t appear they were close to accomplishing any of this.
The Trump Administration denied any knowledge of or involvement with the plot. Though there is as yet no definitive proof of administration ties, Silvercorp was certainly selling this fiasco as though it was an official operation.
Guaido Advisers Quit Following Bungled Venezuela Raid
Opposition leader Juan Guaido has denied any involvement in the attempted raid aimed at toppling Nicolas Maduro
(May 10, 2020) — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has accepted the resignation of a United States-based adviser Juan Rendon, his press team said on Monday, after Rendon acknowledged discussions with a US security firm to topple President Nicolas Maduro.
Guaido thanked Rendon and another exiled legislator, Sergio Vergara, who also resigned from the opposition’s “crisis strategy commission,” for their “dedication and commitment to Venezuela,” without giving a reason for the decision.
Rendon has said that while he negotiated an exploratory agreement with Florida’s Silvercorp USA late last year, he cut ties with the firm’s chief executive, Jordan Goudreau, in November.
Goudreau, Rendon said, then went ahead with an operation led by two former US soldiers to capture Maduro. The plot failed, and Venezuelan authorities said security forces killed eight members during one May 3 incursion attempt and arrested a dozen more, including the two US citizens, the following day.
Guaido has denied any involvement in the bungled invasion. But it has raised doubts about his leadership some 16 months since he first declared a rival presidency and denounced Maduro as a usurper who had overseen a six-year economic collapse.
In the statement, Guaido’s press team said Rendon and Vergara “ratified their support for the democratic cause … and called for all national and international sectors to reinforce their support for the interim president.”
Rendon and Vergara confirmed their resignations in public letters. Rendon said the commission had never been interested in “participating in violent activities”, while Vergada said he had not been aware of the so-called Operation Gideon.
Goudreau, in media interviews, has confirmed his role in organising the incursion.
On Friday, Venezuela Chief Prosecutor Tarek Saab said his office had requested the extradition of Goudreau, Rendon and Vergara for their involvement in the “design, financing, and execution” of the plan.
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