Exclusive - Blackwater founder's latest sales pitch: mercenaries for Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

APRIL 30, 2019 / 12:06 AM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Aram Roston, Matt Spetalnick
7 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Erik Prince - the founder of the controversial private security firm Blackwater and a prominent supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump - has been pushing a plan to deploy a private army to help topple Venezuela’s socialist president, Nicholas Maduro, four sources with knowledge of the effort told Reuters.

Over the last several months, the sources said, Prince has sought investment and political support for such an operation from influential Trump supporters and wealthy Venezuelan exiles. In private meetings in the United States and Europe, Prince sketched out a plan to field up to 5,000 soldiers-for-hire on behalf of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, according to two sources with direct knowledge of Prince’s pitch.

. . .

White House National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis declined to comment when asked whether Prince had proposed his plan to the government and whether it would be considered. A person familiar with the administration’s thinking said the White House would not support such a plan.

. . .

Some U.S. and Venezuelan security experts, told of the plan by Reuters, called it politically far-fetched and potentially dangerous because it could set off a civil war. A Venezuelan exile close to the opposition agreed but said private contractors might prove useful, in the event Maduro’s government collapses, by providing security for a new administration in the aftermath.


Read more: https://in.reuters.com/article/venezuela-politics-erikprince/exclusive-blackwater-founders-latest-sales-pitch-mercenaries-for-venezuela-idINKCN1S608C?rpc=401&

[keithbvadu2]

1. Whose side is Prince trying to help? Other than his own pocketbook?

Russia already sent troops to Venezuela and Prince helped Russia develop back channels from Trump to Russia.

Whose side is Prince trying to help?

Other than his own pocketbook?

[sandensea]

6. Good question. Cheeto has gotten himself in a real quandary as far as Venezuela

On one hand, he can't afford too much friction with his big underwriter, Putin - and he doesn't want those tapes of his diddling Ivanka coming out.

But on the other hand, and like all GOPee administrations, his Latin America desks at the State Dept. and NSC are clogged with radicalized right-wing Cubans and Colombians - and when it comes to Venezuela, they want blood.

So as usual, Cheeto's gotten himself in a bind through his own sheer impulsiveness and lack of even minimal forethought.

When in doubt, abstain.

[Alkene]

2. The baying of a pig.

n/t

[BlueIdaho]

3. So fucking sick of our perpetual war footing...

We are running a trillion dollar annual deficit and still can’t have nice things... Instead we spread death and destruction across the globe.

Enough already.

[Perseus]

8. We all are, but if the Russians take hold of Venezuela, the war path will become wider

Russia taking hold of a country at the top of the geography of South America is a huge threat, to the USA and to the World, and of course to the entire Central and South America, they will spread like cucarachas and devastate the central and southern countries, their hold will make it easier for "Putin the Great" to conquer the Americas, and that includes the USA.

Letting Putin get hold of South America is not an option, the consequences are very bad to all of us. The Maduro regime must be brought down, the Russians and the Cubans must be thrown out of Venezuela. I don't think that the majority of people in the USA understand the repercussions of having Russia take hold of Venezuela, they are huge, and very bad.

[Blue_Tires]

4. Why? Maduro is going to fall without his so-called "help"

[yellowcanine]

5. Sounds like an Iran/Contra redux. Without Iran. Or maybe not with this crowd.

[Corgigal]

7. Rich kid

who likes playing war with real humans. He makes all Americans look bad and this business model should never been allowed in the first place. Our governmental powers need to squash it now, years late but now.