Maduro says authorities arrested 13 ‘terrorists’ involved in what he described as a plot co-ordinated with Washington to enter the country and oust him
PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Tuesday denied any involvement by the US government in what Venezuelan officials have called a failed armed incursion in the South American country that led to the capture of two American “mercenaries”.
Trump made the comment to reporters at the White House after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday said authorities there had detained two US citizens working with a US military veteran who has claimed responsibility for a failed armed operation.
“We’ll find out. We just heard about it,” Trump said when asked about the incident and the Americans’ arrests. “But it has nothing to do with our government.”
In a state television address, Maduro said authorities arrested 13 “terrorists” on Monday involved in what he described as a plot co-ordinated with Washington to enter the country via the Caribbean coast and oust him.
Eight people were killed during the foiled incursion attempt on Sunday, Venezuelan authorities said.
Personal documents allegedly belonging to US ‘mercenaries’ are shown by Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro (not pictured) at Miraflores Palace in Caracas. Picture: Miraflores Palace/Handout via Reuters
Maduro showed what he said were the US passports and other identification cards belonging to Airan Berry and Luke Denman, whom he said were in custody and had been working with Jordan Goudreau, an American military veteran who leads a Florida-based security company called Silvercorp USA.
The State Department did not provide any immediate comment on the alleged arrests. US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, had strongly denied any US government role involvement in the incursions.
Military equipment is shown by Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro (not pictured) a day after Venezuela’s government said it foiled an attempted incursion by ‘terrorist mercenaries’. Picture: Miraflores Palace/Handout via Reuters
Washington has waged a campaign of economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure against Venezuela in an effort to oust Maduro, a socialist it accuses of having rigged elections in 2018. Maduro’s government says the United States wants to control Venezuela’s massive oil reserves.
– Reuters
