Former Green Beret Arrested for Arms Smuggling Related to Failed Venezuela Coup
A former U.S. Green Beret, Jordan G. Goudreau, 48, was taken into custody on Tuesday in New York on federal charges related to arms smuggling. Goudreau is known for his role in a calamitous coup attempt against the authoritarian Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, in 2020. The Justice Department announced that Goudreau, along with a co-conspirator, Yacsy Alexandra Alvarez, is accused of unlawfully exporting military-grade rifles, night vision devices, lasers, silencers, and an array of other military equipment to Colombia starting in November 2019, all intended for use in operations against the Maduro regime.
The charges appear to connect directly to the ill-fated incursion executed in May 2020, where a group of armed individuals, self-styled as “freedom fighters,” attempted to infiltrate Venezuela. This contingent included former Venezuelan soldiers and ex-American Special Forces operators, all united by the common goal of toppling Maduro. Despite the audacity of the plan, the operation was thwarted by Venezuelan security forces, resulting in a chaotic confrontation that left six individuals dead and 13 captured. Among those detained were two former Green Berets, who had reportedly been recruited by Goudreau.
The aftermath of the failed coup raised eyebrows internationally, prompting many to question how a decorated former U.S. Special Forces soldier, who had completed multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, became the figurehead of a foreign insurrection. Goudreau had publicly claimed responsibility for the operation, dubbed Operation Gideon, asserting that he had collaborated with disillusioned Venezuelan officials to orchestrate the raid.
The original plan involved a small force of only about 60 men landing on Venezuelan soil near Caracas via speedboats, with the intent to capture Maduro. However, the operation was met with fierce resistance, leading to its swift unraveling. The Americans involved in the ill-fated mission were sentenced to 20 years in prison by Venezuelan authorities in August 2020. They were later released in a prisoner exchange deal with the United States late last year.
Currently, Goudreau and Alvarez, a Venezuelan national residing in Tampa, Florida, face serious charges including conspiracy to violate export laws, smuggling goods from the United States, and breaching federal firearm export control laws, as outlined by prosecutors.
