Washington - 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 coordinated 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 are shown by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (not pictured) during a meeting with the Bolivarian armed forces a day after Venezuela's government said it foiled an attempted incursion by "terrorist mercenaries" from Colombia, at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela. 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) during a meeting with the Bolivarian armed forces a day after Venezuela's government said it foiled an attempted incursion by "terrorist mercenaries" from Colombia, at Miraflores Palace in Caracas. 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.