Venezuelan Courts Impose 21-year and 30-year Prison Terms for Individuals Involved in Operation Gideon
Venezuela's Court Busts 29 Suspects Connected to 2020 Coup Attempt - Revised Version
Hey there! Let's dive into the latest news from Caracas, straight from the streets on May 25, 2024 (our platform).
A wave of arrests and trials has shaken Venezuela, as a court recently sentenced a group of 29 individuals for their alleged involvement in a 2020 paramilitary coup attempt. Known as "Operation Gideon," this secretive operation aimed to topple the government, with at least some of the accused collaborating with foreign powers.
This week, the Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced that the trial for these defendants resumed, leading to sentences ranging from 21 to 30 years in prison. The charges include criminal association, conspiring with a foreign government, treason, rebellion, arms trafficking, terrorism, terrorism financing, and more.
According to Saab, these sentences mark the beginning of the end for a dark chapter in Venezuela's history. However, he clarified that several individuals implicated in Operation Gideon are still at large, with outstanding arrest warrants in place.
The decisive moment for Operation Gideon came in May 2020, when Venezuelan Armed Forces managed to neutralize two speed boats carrying a 60-strong expedition featuring two American Green Berets and deserting Venezuelan soldiers. The ensuing firefight led to eight paramilitaries dead and dozens more arrested.
The operation was allegedly organized by Jordan Goudreau, a former Green Beret, with assistance from retired Venezuelan Major General Cliver Alcalá. Reports suggest that Alcalá provided military training to the deserters in camps in Colombia and led the forces into Venezuelan shores.
Controversy arose when Goudreau accused the hardline US-backed opposition, led by former self-proclaimed "Interim President" Juan Guaidó, of breaching their contract for the coup attempt. Proof of a leaked document signed by Guaidó and his aides, along with a conference call featuring Guaidó, Goudreau, and other anti-government figures, appeared in the media.
Although the "interim government" attempted to distance itself from the failed operation, Goudreau would later file a lawsuit against Juan José ("JJ") Rendón, a Guaidó associate, for breach of contract. The details of these cases continue to evolve, with media reports and further arrests shedding more light on the Operation Gideon conspiracy.
Rumors suggest that high-ranking US officials from the Trump administration may have encouraged the coup attempt, and the CIA is reportedly believed to have had knowledge of the mercenary plot. As the dust settles, we can expect more revelations to surface regarding this intricate operation.
Airan Berry and Luke Denman, the two American Green Berets arrested during Operation Gideon, were initially given 20-year sentences in 2020. Earlier this year, they were returned to US soil as part of a prisoner exchange, which saw Washington free Venezuelan government envoy Alex Saab.
[1] The Wikipedia entry provides a basic overview of Operation Gideon, but lacks specifics regarding the accused individuals and their sentences [Link to Wikipedia removed for brevity]
[2] The CrisisWatch report from May 2025 focuses on a different alleged coup attempt in an unspecified country, making no reference to Venezuela or Operation Gideon. [Link to CrisisWatch report removed for brevity]
- Venezuelans among those sentenced in connection with the Operation Gideon coup attempt include high-ranking former military members who received training in Colombia and collaborated with foreign powers.
- The conduct of some Venezuelans involved in Operation Gideon was allegedly facilitated by controversial revelations about US officials encouragement and the CIA's knowledge of the mercenary plot.
- Politics and crime-and-justice coverage have highlighted the latest news in Operation Gideon, as new allegations and arrests add fuel to ongoing investigations into the 2020 coup attempt.
- Despite sentencing a group of 29 individuals in Operation Gideon, several key suspects are still at large, emphasizing the need for continued police work and general-news reporting to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.
