Arrest of Ex-U.S. Green Beret Linked to Fallout from Unsuccessful Venezuela Coup Attempt
In the steamy city of Caracas, on August 1, 2024, American war vet Jordan Goudreau found himself handcuffed, facing a messy web of arms smuggling charges. Goudreau, a battle-hardened ex-Green Beret who's seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his Venezuelan ally Yacsy Alvarez, are in deep trouble after allegedly transporting weapons, ammunition, and other military gear to Colombia.
The bearded ex-soldier is also accused of moving goods illegally and illegally possessing firearms, racking up a total of 14 counts. He's currently locked down in a federal pen in Brooklyn. Alvarez and Goudreau each face 5- to 20-year sentences for each count slapped on them in the indictment.
Venezuelan officials have demanded the extradition of both Goudreau and Alvarez. Currently, Alvarez is seeking asylum in the States, and her lawyer states she intends to plead "not guilty" to the charges. Alvarez had previously been detained in Colombia but was released later.
Goudreau's shenanigans are related to "Operation Gideon," a clandestine paramilitary operation that aimed to topple the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. In May 2020, the Venezuelan armed forces promptly squashed an attempted incursion with speedboats that originated from Colombia. The skirmish left six invading operatives dead and dozens arrested.
This 60-strong group had been training for months in Colombian camps before departing in early May. They were made up of Venezuelan army deserters, two other Green Berets (Airan Berry and Luke Denman), and various other mercenaries. Berry and Denman received 20-year sentences before being included in a prisoner exchange between Caracas and Washington. Other participants were given 21- and 30-year jail terms.
During the initial planning, Guaido's aide Juan Jose Rendon was involved. However, Rendon eventually distanced himself, citing tactical disagreements. Goudreau's private security contractor, Silvercorp, was employed by Guaido to execute the operation and to oust Venezuela's sitting president.
Leaked documents prove Guaido's self-proclaimed administration hired Silvercorp to "plan and execute an operation to capture/detain/remove Nicolas Maduro." The contract clearly showed Guaido's odious role in the ordeal. However, the Venezuelan hardline opposition only made an initial payment out of the agreed US $1.5 million, prompting Goudreau to sue Rendon for breach of contract.
Following the operation's collapse, Goudreau announced that Trump administration officials had encouraged the operation, while a 2021 Vice News investigation claimed the CIA had knowledge of the mercenary plot. The operation began to unravel in March 2020 with the arrest of former Venezuelan General Cliver Alcala in Colombia alongside Colombian authorities intercepting weapons shipments bound for the training camps. Alcala was Goudreau's main partner in executing Operation Gideon.
Alcala was indicted on separate Justice Department "narco-terrorism" charges. His attorney unsuccessfully attempted to leverage Alcala's ties to US intelligence agencies to secure his release. Prosecutors failed to prove any drug charges against Alcala, who was ultimately given a 21-year sentence for arming the FARC rebel group.
- The Venezuelan government has requested the extradition of Jordan Goudreau and Yacsy Alvarez, as Goudreau faces charges related to extradition, firearms, and illegal possession of weapons in a federal pen in Brooklyn.
- Alvarez, who is seeking asylum in the States, and her lawyer have stated that she intends to plead "not guilty" to the charges, with each of them potentially facing 5- to 20-year sentences.
- The allegations against Goudreau are connected to Operation Gideon, a clandestine paramilitary operation intended to topple the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, where politics, war-and-conflicts, and crime-and-justice intersect.
- The collapsed operation, which saw the involvement of former Green Beret Luke Denman, private security contractor Silvercorp, and self-proclaimed Venezuelan interim president Juan Guaido, was met with various arrests, jail sentences, and lapses in funding, ultimately leading to lawsuits and investigations into the roles of Trump administration officials and intelligence agencies.
