Venezuela court sentences two former US soldiers to 20 years in prison for beach attack
Venezuela court
A Venezuelan court has sentenced two former US special forces soldiers to 20 years in prison for their part in a blunder-filled beach attack.
The attack, it's said, was aimed at overthrowing President Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro's chief prosecutor announced the surprise decision late Friday night. "THEY ADMITTED THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FACTS," Tarek William Saab announced on Twitter, adding that proceedings will continue against dozens of other defendants accused of assisting in the May 3 raid.
Lawyers for the former Green Berets, Luke Denman and Airan Berry, said they were barred from the secretive jailhouse proceedings -- a violation of their constitutional rights to a defense.
Denman and Berry, both decorated former US Service members, were found guilty of conspiracy, trafficking in illegal arms and terrorism, Saab said. But lawyers said the hearing was marred by irregularities.
"Operation Gideon" was launched from makeshift training camps in neighbouring Colombia and left at least eight rebel soldiers dead while more than 60 more were jailed.
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Ex-Green Beret Jordan Goudreau, who operated a Florida-based security firm called Silvercorp USA, claimed responsibility for the failed attack and had hired his two former army buddies to prepare a small cadre of deserting Venezuelan soldiers living at the makeshift camps.
Goudreau is believed to be in the US, where he also is under investigation for possibly violating arms trafficking laws in connection to the botched incursion. Venezuelan prosecutors have ordered his arrest.
The two Americans arrested in a coastal fishing community have ever since been paraded by officials on Venezuelan state TV as proof of their long-held claims that the United States is set on violently overthrowing Maduro's socialist government.
US has denied any role in the attack. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington would use all possible means to win the freedom of Denman and Berry.