Venezuela's Maduro has launched propaganda campaign about botched mercenary raid, State Dept says

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has exploited the recent armed incursion into his country, using the foray as a way to deflect scrutiny, and as excuse to crack down on opposition, the State Department said Wednesday.

“We would note the timing of these events,” a State Department spokesperson wrote in an email to Just the News. “A massacre of prisoners took place last weekend at Los Llanos prison, and the former regime is attempting to avoid responsibility.”  

The U.S. government agency also pointed out that events surrounding Sunday’s incursion in Venezuela remain murky, but some elements have emerged as true.

“What is clear is that the former regime is using the event to justify an increased level of repression,” the State Department spokesperson said.

News of the incursion emerged on Monday, when Maduro announced that authorities captured 13 “terrorists” and killed eight who planned to topple the government by force. Maduro in his address displayed passports and identity documents belonging to two Americans, Airan Berry and Luke Denman. 

The captured civilians work for a Florida-based security company, Silvercorp USA, the company’s owner told Just the News.  

“They’re all my guys, including the ones who were killed,” said Jordan Goudreau, who described himself as a former Army Green Beret who served multiple combat tours.

In the aftermath of weekend events, President Trump and Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the United States was not involved in the botched raid. Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido insisted that he, too, was not involved.

Maduro said otherwise, claiming a conspiracy involving multiple actors and U.S. intelligence – charges the State Department dismissed. 

“There is a major disinformation campaign underway by the Maduro regime, making it difficult to separate facts from propaganda,” the spokesperson said.

The U.S. government is trying to learn more about the incident, including the activities of the two U.S. citizens who reportedly are being held in Venezuela, as well as those of Goudreau, the spokesperson said.

“We will also be looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime in this melodrama and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela,” the spokesperson said. “The record of falsehoods and manipulation by Maduro and his accomplices, as well as their highly questionable representation of the details, argues that nothing should be taken at face value when we see the distorting of facts.”  

On Wednesday, one of the captured men, Luke Denman, appeared on Venezuelan state television saying he was told to seize control of the Caracas airport, and fly President Nicolas Maduro to the United States. Goudreau did not immediately respond to a question from Just the News on whether the statements were coerced.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. government will use “every tool” available to secure the Americans’ return if they are being held in Venezuela. Also on Wednesday, Maduro announced he would seek to extradite Goudreau.

In March, the Trump administration indicted Maduro and members of his inner circle on "narco-terrorism" charges.