Washington, D.C. – The President of the United States, Donald Trump, assured this Tuesday that he has “nothing to do” with the two maritime raids in Venezuela, in which at least eight people died and where two US citizens were detained.
“I have just received information. It has nothing to do with our Government, but I have just received information about that and we will investigate it. We are concerned about that, but whatever it is, we will inform you, but it has nothing to do with our Government,” The president affirmed in statements to the press at the White House.
This is Trump’s first response to what happened in Venezuela, where President NicolĂĄs Maduro reported on Monday the arrest of two Americans identified as Airan Berry and Luke Denman as part of a group described by the Venezuelan Executive as “mercenary.”
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Yesterday, in a televised statement, Maduro showed the passports of both, identification cards as military veterans, as well as ID cards from SilverCorp, a US security company that, according to Caracas, is linked to the attempted attack.
It also displayed “war material from the United States and Colombia,” including military helmets and communication equipment.
In addition to the two Americans, 11 people were arrested on Monday in a second boat that was approaching a coastal area of ââthe central Aragua state, although Maduro warned that the persecution continues and there may be more arrests.
On Sunday, eight people died and two more were arrested in a first attempt at a maritime incursion in the La Guaira state, neighboring Caracas.
Since Donald Trump’s arrival at the White House in January 2017, the bilateral relationship with Venezuela has been strained.
The United States was the first country in the world to recognize opposition leader Juan GuaidĂł in January 2019 as Venezuela’s interim head of state and, since then, has led an international campaign to isolate Maduro through the imposition of sanctions.
GuaidĂł tried to overthrow Maduro in a military uprising on April 30 of last year that failed and that Washington was aware of, although he assures that he did not participate.
