Sources with knowledge of the plan say Prince wants to send up to 5,000 troops into the country.
Erik Prince, the billionaire founder of the infamous Blackwater security firm, is reportedly lobbying for thousands of his mercenaries to be deployed to Venezuela to break the stalemate that has settled between President Nicolas Maduro and his U.S.-backed rival, Juan Guaido.
According to two sources with knowledge of Prince’s pitch, the operation would begin with combat operations and later develop into combat and stabilization missions. The idea is to create a “dynamic event” that would break the stalemate between the two opposing camps, one source told Reuters. The U.S. and a host of South American and European nations have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president and called on Maduro to cede power. But with the backing of the country’s powerful military as well as continued support from Russia, China and Cuba—among others—the leftist firebrand has remained in office.
One of the sources said Prince’s mercenaries would consist of “Peruvians, Ecuadoreans, Colombians, Spanish speakers,” as the presence of such troops would be more acceptable than Americans. Guaido’s international supporters have been accused of engaging in imperialism in their efforts to force Maduro from office.
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