Colombia arrests 3 Venezuelans tied to anti-Maduro plot

 Police in Colombia have arrested three Venezuelans who were part of a failed plot organized by a former U.S. Green Beret to sneak across border and oust President Nicolás Muro, Associated Press has learned

three were arrested in simultaneous raids early Wednesday in capital of Bogota, a person who was in contact with men at time of ir arrest told AP. person, who insisted on anonymity to discuss continuing investigation, said three were picked up on charges of arms trafficking and training to carry out illicit activities.

Two of men, Maj. Juvenal Sequea and Capt. Juven Sequea, are older brors of confessed commander of failed May 3 incursion, Capt. Antonio Sequea, who is jailed in Venezuelan capital of Caracas. third, Rayder Ruso, is a civilian who has long sought Muro's overthrow.

All three lived for months in rustic camps along Colombia's Caribbean coast where Jordan Goudreau, an American war veteran, was helping organize a volunteer army for a rapid cross-border strike against Muro.

But men deserted ragtag effort, known as Operation Gideon, months before beach assault was launched, viewing it as a suicide mission that lacked necessary support from U.S.

What was dubbed “Bay of Piglets” — after failed 1961 invasion of Cuba by anti-communist exiles — ended in a propaganda victory for Muro with capture of dozens of would-be combatants, including two of Goudreau's former special forces buddies, Luke Denman and Airan Berry, who quickly pleed guilty and were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

“Donald Trump OK'd my murder, I am not exaggerating, and y are trying to send a group of snipers or hire snipers in Venezuela to kill me,” Muro said Tuesday, recalling bizarre attack.

U.S.-backed Venezuelan opposition leer Juan Guaidó was also linked to plot when it was revealed that two of his aides in Miami signed last fall a 42-page contract with Goudreau's Florida company, Silvercorp USA, to carry out regime change. aides said y backed out of deal before Christmas due to a mix of differences with Goudreau and a change in strategy. y said no money changed hands except $50,000 to cover Goudreau's initial expenses.

A full telling of plot and what, if anything, U.S. officials knew in vance has been elusive despite questions from Democrats in Congress angry over raid.

re were media reports that a fourth person, Yacsy Álvarez, who served as Goudreau's translator and assistant in Colombia, h also been arrested Wednesday in Colombia for aiding plot. AP was unable to confirm wher she h been arrested.

In January, Álvarez flew with three Americans from Miami to Colombia on a plane owned by her one-time boss, Franklin Durán, a wealthy businessman with a history of close ties to Muro's predecessor and mentor, late Hugo Chávez. Durán was arrested in May on charges connected to plot, including treason, rebellion, conspiracy with a foreign government and arms trafficking and terrorism.

Álvarez was also an associate of Goudreau’s would-be partner in arms, retired Venezuelan army Gen. Cliver Alcalá, who like Álvarez h been living in Colombian city of Barranquilla after breaking with Muro and fleeing his homeland in 2018.

Alcalá surrendered to U.S. authorities in March on unrelated drug charges, just a few days after Colombian police seized a cache of assault rifles, tactical helmets and night vision goggles that he said belonged to rebel cre that he and Goudreau were reying to bring down Muro.

It was not clear if U.S. officials played any role in Wednesday's arrests. But for months FBI has been interviewing associates of Goudreau as part of ir own investigation into wher he violated U.S. laws that require any U.S. company supplying weapons or military equipment, as well as military training and vice, to foreign persons to seek State Department approval.

Goudreau did not immediately respond to a request for comment.