THREE alleged mercenaries were arrested yesterday in connection with an attempted invasion of Venezuela, said President Nicolas Maduro, bringing the total caught to 34.

“We have captured three more mercenaries today… We have been meticulously looking for all those involved, and we are going to capture them all,” he announced in a television address.

The failed invasion – which Venezuela’s leader has compared to the Bay of Pigs incident in 1961 – saw men landing early this month at Macuto, less than an hour from Caracas.

Two former US soldiers, namely Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41, have been imprisoned and charged with “terrorism, conspiracy, illicit trafficking of weapons of war, and (criminal) association”. They could face between 25 and 30 years in prison.

The others implicated in the case are Venezuelans.

Maduro’s government has said the plan was to remove him from power, allowing opposition leader Juan Guiado – recognised as interim president by the US and a number of other nations – to take control.

He reiterated that he believes US President Donald Trump was involved in the operation, with Guiado as an accomplice.

Trump has strongly denied the claim.

Despite Maduro’s accusation against Guaido, the latter has not been charged with anything. – AFP, May 10, 2020.