Syria’s Foreign Ministry has denounced the recent marine incursion attempt into Venezuela, saying the failed operation was part of Washington’s conspiracy against the Latin American country.
An official source at Syria’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that such hostile conduct is part of the conspiracy against Venezuela’s sovereignty practiced by the White House’s mercenaries there.
The unnamed source reiterated Syria’s solidarity with Venezuela and the legitimate government of President Nicolas Maduro.
On May 3, a group of US-backed mercenaries attempted to intrude into the northern state of La Guaira on boats, but Venezuelan authorities foiled the attack — which was launched from Colombia — killing eight of the armed men and arresting several others.
In a state television address the next day, Maduro said authorities had detained terrorists involved, including two Americans identified as ‘Airan Berry’ and ‘Luke Denman.’
The Venezuelan President noted that the two US citizens were working with an American military veteran, Jordan Goudreau, who leads Florida-based security firm Silvercorp USA.
He also claimed that the plot was coordinated with Washington and aimed to oust him.
The White House denies any involvement.
On Wednesday, the Venezuelan state television broadcast the video of the two Americans confessing to training dissident Venezuelan troops in Colombia to oust Maduro.
The Venezuelan government later accused Colombian President Ivan Duque of facilitating the operation. Colombia says such assertion is unfounded.
Washington has been openly calling for the ouster of Maduro, increasing pressure on Caracas in recent months by indicting the leftist leader as a narco-trafficker and offering a 15-million-dollar “reward” for his arrest.
The United States has also slapped harsher sanctions on Venezuela.
Opposition figure Juan Guaido, propped up by the US, has been laying claim to power in Venezuela. He has launched an abortive coup once.
There was also an attempt at Maduro’s life with a drone in 2018.
Maduro has repeatedly said that his political adversaries spare no effort to oust him with the support of Washington.