BREAKING NEWS: Second US Special Forces hostage Airan Berry, 41, is paraded on Venezuelan TV as he says of coup attempt ‘I know that it is illegal now’
- Airan Berry, 41, was arrested in Venezuela on Monday for his role in an failed coup on President Nicolás Maduro
- A video interrogation of Berry was shown on Thursday in which he said he now understood his actions in the attack were illegal
- ‘I know that it’s illegal now, before it was a different understanding,’ he said
- Two video clips were released Thursday afternoon in which Berry is shown in different clothing
- In the second video, the former special forces soldier looks more disheveled and bewildered
The second U.S. citizen detained in Venezuela for his role in an failed coup on President Nicolás Maduro was shown speaking under duress in video clips Thursday while being interrogated by Venezuelan officials.
Airan Berry, 41, said in the first clip released that he understood now that his actions in the botched attack were illegal.
‘I know that it’s illegal now, before it was a different understanding,’ he answered to a question about why he was training irregular forces in Colombia.
A second video was released shortly afterward in which Berry is wearing different clothing and looks more disheveled.
Berry was arrested alongside fellow American Luke Denman, 34, and six Venezuelans on Monday as Maduro’s forces cut off their plot.
Denman appeared in a video clip shown during Maduro’s press conference on Wednesday.
Airan Berry, 41, was shown in a video clip Thursday under duress while being interrogated by Venezuelan officials about his role in a botched attempt to overthrown President Maduro
Denman said in his video that the Americans were hired to ensure that an airport was secured during the attack that could be used to transfer President Maduro to the United States.
‘As far as I know, Luke and I were to be at the airport to bring in more,’ Berry claimed in the first video released Thursday.
As Denman had in his video, Berry held up a document that he claimed was a contract between coup ringerleader, fellow former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau, and Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó.
‘This contract was posted several days ago by Jordan Goudreau. It outlines my responsibilities with Silvercorp signed by Juan Guaidó, Jordan Goudreau and Juan Rendón,’ Berry added.
The videos were accompanied by comments from Jorge Rodriguez, Venezuela’s communications, culture and sectorial vice president who reiterated claims that the coup plot was working with Guaidó to overthrow Maduro.
‘The relationship between Juan Guaidó and these deserters and terrorists who train in Colombia with the Colombian and Venezuelan drug trafficking is perfectly clear,’ Rodriguez said.
‘President Maduro already showed yesterday the testimony of a Venezuelan drug trafficker who was the head of logistics in Caracas, who was going to receive the terrorists in Macuto, who had already lined up a truck, shelter and had provided all the special points where the terrorists had to go to cause the damage they had planned …
‘This gem right here, Elkin Javier Lopez Torres, who is also known as “Doble Rueda,” “La Rueda,” is one of the main bosses of Colombian drug trafficking in the La Guajira peninsula, in Colombian Guajira. And one of his specialties is butchering.’