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Three more mercenaries arrested over failed coup attempt in Venezuela

VENEZUELAN special forces swooped to detain three more mercenaries linked to last week’s failed coup as search-and-capture operations continue across the country to find the rest of those involved.

The government announced the arrest of the men who were identified as First Lieutenant Jairo Betemy, Sergeant Franco Jonathan, and Bolivarian National Guard Sergeant Evan Rincon.

The three were detained in an operation in the northern state of Aragua, which borders the capital Caracas. Police said that operations were still under way.

Twenty-three mercenaries have been detained since the failed coup attempt on May 3. Among those held are former US Green Berets Luke Denman and Aidan Berry. They have appeared before a court charged with conspiracy.

The pair have admitted being part of a plot to kidnap or assassinate President Nicolas Maduro and overthrow the democratically elected Venezuelan government.

 They were employed by US security firm Silvercorp under a contract signed by Washington stooge Juan Guaido, who was to be installed as the country’s new leader, according to the document.

More details are starting to emerge as the plot unravels. Mr Maduro insists that the coup has been orchestrated by the US President Donald Trump with the support of Colombian President Ivan Ducque.

The coup was launched from Colombia, where armed paramilitaries had been trained by the US mercenaries under the guidance of retired Venezuelan Major General Cliver Alcala.

He surrendered himself to US officials in Colombia at the end of March after being caught with a cache of weapons, agreeing to provide evidence in an anti-narcotics investigation. 

He was whisked out of the country and taken to the US, leaving Mr Maduro in no doubt he was a Washington asset.

Soon after, despite a lack of evidence, the US declared Venezuela a “narco-terror state,” placing a $15 million (£12m) bounty on the Venezuelan president’s head.

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