[ad_1]
Two retired US military detained in Venezuela for a failed “invasion” by sea to the oil country were charged with “terrorism”, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported this Friday.
Luke Alexander Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41, face charges for “Terrorism, conspiracy, illicit trafficking in weapons of war and association [para delinquir]” Saab said in a televised address. The crime of terrorism, under Venezuelan law, is punishable by sentences of between 25 and 30 years in prison.
The pro-government prosecutor announced that he requested an international arrest warrant against another retired US military officer, ex-green beret Jordan Goudreau, founder of the private security and defense company Silvercorp USA, linked to the case by the Nicolás Maduro government.
Saab did not announce charges against opposition parliamentary leader Juan Guaidó, recognized as the president in charge of Venezuela by fifty-hundred countries led by the United States, although on Monday he accused him of having signed a contract with Silvercorp to execute the raid, which the leader denies.
Denman and Berry were apprehended for an “invasion” that the Venezuelan government said they had thwarted on May 3 and 4 in the coastal towns of Macuto and Chuao, in northern Venezuela, which has left 31 detainees, 29 of them Venezuelans, “Between mercenaries and support teams,” said Saab.
The head of American diplomacy, Mike Pompeo, said last Wednesday that the Donald Trump administration will do everything possible to repatriate the two arrested Americans.
The captured Venezuelans were charged, among other crimes, with “conspiracy with a foreign government” – specifically the United States and Colombia – “Terrorism” and “treason” added the official.
Saab announced that it also requested arrest warrants against Venezuelans Juan José Rendón – Guaidó’s advisor – and Sergio Vergara, both residing in the United States.
Rendón acknowledged in an interview with CNN that he had signed a contract with Silvercorp, but assured that it was an “exploratory” agreement and that an operation in Venezuela was not given the green light. He untied the agreement to Guaidó.
This Friday, Trump again denied that Washington has anything to do with what happened. Maduro labeled him as “direct head of the operation.”
According to Saab, authorities have carried out raids in five of the country’s 24 regions – Capital District and 23 states – looking for those involved.
[ad_2]
