Maduro presents video confession by captured American - T... https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/maduro-pr...

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Maduro presents video confession by

captured American

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Maduro presents video confession by captured American - T... https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/maduro-pr...

By Karen DeYoung

May 6, 2020 at 8:15 PM EDT

A captured American citizen, appearing in a video broadcast on

Venezuelan television Wednesday, said he helped train and
accompanied a small force that attempted to invade the country by sea
last weekend.

The video of Luke Denman, a former U.S. Special Forces soldier, was
shown during a lengthy news conference held by Venezuelan President
Nicolás Maduro. Denman appeared weary but spoke calmly in English
in response to queries from an unseen questioner, and it was not
possible to determine whether he was under direct duress.

Although few Venezuelans were likely to have seen Maduro’s

presentation, which took place during an electricity outage, he
attempted to ratchet up the tension with the United States by saying it
was impossible to believe that President Trump had known nothing
about the failed operation.

Senior Trump administration officials Wednesday repeated strong

denials that they supported or were even aware of the plan. “There was
no United States government direct involvement,” Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo said at a news conference.

Administration policy includes efforts to turn Venezuelan security

forces against Maduro, and Trump has repeatedly said that “all options
are on the table” to force him to step aside.

But Pompeo and others likened the failed effort to a farce and said that
U.S. government participation would have ensured success.

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