Former Army Green Beret Who Organized Failed Coup in Venezuela Charged by Feds

The feds arrested former Army Special Forces soldier Jordan Goudreau of Melbourne, Florida and Yacsy Alexandra Alvarez of Tampa, Florida on July 30 for allegedly illegally exporting firearms and other equipment to Colombia in violation of U.S. export laws, according to a DOJ press release. These weapons were to be used in the failed 2020 coup against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The federal grand jury also indicted Goudreau for illegally possessing machine guns and silencers.

The items that Goudreau and Alvarez illegally sent to Colombia included AR-style rifles, night vision devices, laser sights and helmets, according to the indictment.

Many of the allegations in the indictment surround Goudreau allegedly illegally exporting firearms from the U.S. to Colombia in late 2019 to be used in the 2020 coup against the Venezuelan government.

Goudreau’s Silvercorp USA

Jordan Goudreau conducted the activities in Venezuela under the auspices of his private military company, Silvercorp USA, which he operated out of Melbourne, Florida. The company also provides crisis leadership, security and advisory consulting services, according to its website. Silvercorps USA claims to “operate in over 50 countries.”

Silvercorps USA’s promotional literature offers consulting services to law enforcement and claims that its employees have advised secretive Tier-1 military units, including Delta Force, Israel’s Unit 217 and the British SAS.

A screenshot from the Silvercorp USA Instagram account purports to show Gourdreau in Colombia in the months before the alleged smuggling trips.

The Failed Venezuelan Coup

Jordan Goudreau is most well-known for his role in planning an attempted coup in Venezuela in 2020 to overthrow dictator Nicolas Maduro at the behest of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido and in conjunction with the Venezuelan International Reserve, a paramilitary group. Goudreau even contracted with Guaido’s government to orchestrate the coup, according to a signed agreement between Silvercorp USA and Guaido’s administration.

The contract stipulated payment of a non-refundable $1.5 million retainer, which included assessment and initial planning by Goudreau’s Silvercorp USA. After payment of the retainer, the contract specified a cost of the 45-day “initial project phase” as being $50 million.

After “project completion,” Guaido’s administration was supposed to continue to pay Silvercorp monthly payments averaging $14.8 million. The contract defined project completion as “the exit/removal of current Venezuelan Regime and entrance/installation of recognized Venezuelan Government.”

Those monthly payments were supposed to continue for 450 days after the removal of Maduro’s government.

While The Daily Muck could not independently verify the authenticity of this contract, Goudreau did take credit for orchestrating the Venezuelan coup in this video posted by CARIVE, a Venezuelan dissident group. CARIVE stands for Active Coalition of the Venezuelan International Reserve.

Also appearing in the video was a man identified as Cap. Javier Nieto Quintero, a retired Venezuelan National Guard Captain and opposition member. The video statement was posted on May 3, 2020, the day the coup began.

“At 1700 hours, a daring amphibious raid was launched from the border of Colombia deep into the heart of Caracas,” Goudreau said in the video. “Our men are continuing to fight right now. Our units have been activated in the south, west and east of Venezuela.”

The Effects of the Coup

Jordan Goudreau dubbed the planned coup “Operation Gideon,” presumably after a Biblical figure who liberated Israel.

Unlike the events that inspired it, Operation Gideon was ill-conceived and poorly executed, resulting in the deaths of six paramilitaries and the arrest of 13 others, including two Americans, also former Special Forces soldiers. Venezuela returned the two Americans to the U.S. in a prisoner exchange in 2023, according to New York Times coverage.

Goudreau’s Service History

Jordan Goudreau served in the U.S. Army from 2001 until his medical discharge in 2016, according to service records obtained by Military.com. Goudreau’s overseas deployments while on active duty include Iraq (Nov. 2006 – Apr. 2007 and March 2010 – Sep. 2010) and Afghanistan (Jan. 2014 – June 2014). His service awards include three Bronze Star medals, Ranger Tab, Special Forces Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge and Parachutist Badge.

Goudreau served on active duty in the U.S. as both a Special Forces medical sergeant and an indirect fire infantryman, according to his records. His rank as of his medical retirement in 2016 was Sergeant First Class.

Goudreau obtained his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Calgary, Canada in 1998, according to his LinkedIn Account. Prior to his U.S. service, he served in the Canadian Armed Forces from 1994-1997. He founded Silvercorp USA in Feb. 2018.

What’s Next for Jordan Goudreau?

The federal judge has placed Goudreau in home detention pending the outcome of the case, according to bail documents obtained by The Daily Muck. The judge also ordered Goudreau to avoid contact with co-defendants, and Goudreau is not allowed to possess firearms and other weapons. Goudreau’s next scheduled court date is Aug. 29.

The Daily Muck will continue to report on this case as it develops.