In 2020, GreatGameInternational reported how Venezuelan intelligence had crushed a secret plot to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro funded by US billionaires and organized by the former security chief of British billionaire Richard Branson, an ex-Green Beret running the private security firm Silvercorp USA, in Florida. The coup followed Maduro’s announcement that Venezuela will sue the US in International Criminal Court (ICC) for severe damage caused by the economic sanctions – the sanctions that an India-Russia partnership helped Venezuela to bypass. Now, the federal investigators have found former U.S. Green Beret Jordan Goudreau’s DNA on assault rifles smuggled from the U.S. to South America.
Federal investigators have uncovered evidence linking former U.S. Green Beret Jordan Goudreau to a failed coup attempt in Venezuela in 2020. According to court documents, Goudreau’s DNA was discovered on some of the 60 assault rifles that he allegedly smuggled from the United States to South America. This illegal operation was part of a plan to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The investigation revealed that Goudreau’s DNA was found on two of the rifles seized by Colombian authorities. One of these rifles was identified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms as a machine gun, making its possession a serious violation under U.S. law. Last week, Goudreau was arrested in New York and is now facing federal arms smuggling charges.
The court documents paint a detailed picture of Goudreau’s activities. Starting from at least November 2019 until March 23, 2020, Goudreau and his associates are accused of illegally exporting AR-type rifles, night vision goggles, laser sights, and other military gear from the U.S. to Colombia. The goal was to use this equipment in a planned armed invasion of Venezuela.
Goudreau, who founded a private security company called Silvercorp USA, even enlisted the help of unpaid U.S. volunteers. These individuals reportedly helped assemble the 60 firearms that were then smuggled into Colombia. On March 23, 2020, Colombian police intercepted a large cache of weapons at a highway checkpoint, seizing 24 semi-automatic rifles, two fully automatic rifles, laser sights, silencers, and other military equipment.
If convicted, Goudreau could face up to 45 years in prison. Although he lived in New York, Goudreau frequently traveled to Tampa, Florida. Interestingly, he often stayed on a boat docked at an Air Force base, where he had special access, according to his lawyer.
This case sheds light on a dramatic but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to destabilize the Venezuelan government and the lengths to which some are willing to go in pursuit of such dangerous endeavors.
Recently, U.S. National Security Advisor John Kirby warned Venezuela to release full election results or face mounting international pressure, with even Elon Musk suggesting President Maduro’s days are numbered. In response, Maduro made a dramatic move by removing WhatsApp from his phone on live TV and urging his supporters to do the same, claiming the app is being misused by “fascists” to incite violence against his government.
In an earlier GGI intel report, we examined the chain of events and the Secret Gold War that led to the chaos in Venezuela now. Amidst this pressure, Maduro is turning to the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—as crucial allies to boost Venezuela’s oil, gas, and metals industries. With U.S. investments waning, Maduro sees BRICS as the key to reviving Venezuela’s economy and possibly securing a powerful new partnership.
