Federal investigators say they have uncovered the DNA of a former U.S. Green Beret on some of the 60 automatic weapons he allegedly smuggled from Florida to South America as part of a failed 2020 coup attempt against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Federal investigators say they found the DNA of a decorated former U.S. Green Beret on some of the 60 automatic weapons he allegedly smuggled from Florida to South America as part of a failed 2020 coup attempt against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The plot, exposed by The Associated Press two days before the incursion, was carried out by a ragtag group of Venezuelan army deserters whom Goudreau allegedly helped arm and train in neighboring Colombia. Goudreau later claimed responsibility for the putsch, but said he was acting in concert with the Venezuelan opposition to protect democracy. He also said he was in touch with then-President Donald Trump’s administration, which made no secret of its desire to see Maduro gone, even though there’s no evidence U.S. officials blessed the invasion.

      • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
        141·
        3 months ago

        Yes, clearly based on the timing. But the CIA is under the full control of the executive branch and Biden could have dismantled South American operations in day one with an email.

        • pingveno@lemmy.worldEnglish
          94·
          3 months ago

          The article makes no mention of the CIA. The plotters were not only non-governmental but also violated US law (not that the CIA hasn’t done that before). They were in contact with the “Trump administration,” but that could be anyone. Given Trump’s distrust of the intelligence services, I suspect any operations would have side stepped them.

          • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
            132·
            3 months ago

            I suggest you read a history book or three about the history of the CIA in South America. It’s not like the actions are taken by feds with badges in suits with American flag pins, they always just financially and physically empower some fringe rebel group that will accomplish what the CIA wants.

            • pingveno@lemmy.worldEnglish
              44·
              3 months ago

              I’m well aware of the history of covert CIA involvement in Latin America, at least in broad strokes. But you’re still making assumptions to get to “why didn’t Biden immediately shut this down?” Just apply Occam’s Razor, he couldn’t shut it down because the Trump administration used unofficial side channels.

              • sandbox@lemmy.world
                31·
                3 months ago

                This isn’t really occam’s razor, it’s conspiracy. Occam’s razor would give the answer, “because he didn’t want to”, not something that gives you more assumptions. That’s the opposite of occam’s razor.

                • pingveno@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  32·
                  3 months ago

                  Okay, what requires more assumptions:

                  Biden goes along with a hair brained Trump era plan with a nebulous link to the Trump administration. News media sources have found no link to any official agency, but fortunately we have social media to discover a link (based on nothing). Biden then goes on to prosecute the perpetrators for weapons smuggling. None of the perpetrators complains about a deal being broken.

                  OR

                  This only had links to political figures in the Trump administration, but not anyone in the intelligence services. Those figures are long gone. No one bothered to tell Biden on the way out the door. Biden is prosecuting the perpetrators of an operation he allowed for fun and they’re happy to stay quiet while they get imprisoned for running weapons.

                  • sandbox@lemmy.world
                    2·
                    3 months ago

                    Apologies, I misunderstood the conversation chain - I thought that you were arguing from a position of already having agreed the initial assumption of the operation being endorsed by the CIA etc.

              • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
                12·
                3 months ago

                If the organization isn’t under control of the democratically elected president, then the whole thing should be burned down, defunded, and the gang members incarcerated.

                • pingveno@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  41·
                  3 months ago

                  All it said is that this group that was not part of the US government was in touch with someone in the Trump administration. That could be literally anyone, likely some Trump sycophant. The Trump administration leaves, attempts a coup on the US presidency on the way out, and now whoever was in contact is probably gone. Then the incoming Biden administration doesn’t even know this bullshit is going on, let alone who’s supposed to be contacted to call this thing quits. Now that same administration is prosecuting them for running weapons.