User:SandyGeorgia/GideonSources

Analysis of (mostly) high-quality English-language reliable sources for Operation Gideon (2020)
 * Uses of the word coup to describe the event are highlighted in yellow.
 * Occurrences of Operation Gideon in green; Gedeon is Spanish alternate

Summary

 * 1) Some generally reliable English-language sources consistently treat the event as a coup in extended coverage. These are:
 * 2) Bloomberg
 * 3) Miami Herald
 * 4) The Telegraph
 * 5) Sarcasm (NYMAG)
 * 6)  Scholarly:  Scholarly and peer-reviewed sources (generally written at some remove from the event) don't treat it as a coup
 * 7) Numerous high-quality English-language sources never treat the event as a coup in their own coverage.  See lawfaremedia.org and Washington Post  for possible explanations for why sources avoid treating the event as a coup.  Sources that never describe the event as a coup are:
 * 8) Reuters
 * 9) The Wall Street Journal
 * 10) The Washington Post
 * 11) Los Angeles Times
 * 12) CNN in English
 * 13) NBC
 * 14) Bellingcat
 * 15) Agence France-Presse
 * 16) France 24
 * 17) Prensa Latina
 * 18) Other English-language sources only sporadically or rarely or inconsistently treat the event as a coup.  These are:
 * 19) Books in English, from reputable publishers, about Venezuela or from authors knowledgeable on Venezuela don't treat it as a coup; some less reputable publishers or books on unrelated topics do.
 * 20) Associated Press
 * 21) The New York Times
 * 22) ABC USA
 * 23) Voice of America
 * 24) NPR
 * 25) BBC
 * 26) The Independent
 * 27) The Globe and Mail
 * 28) The Guardian
 * 29) Sky News
 * 30) Al Jazeera
 * 31) Others
 * 32) Think tanks rarely treat it as a coup
 * 33) Operation Gideon is about twice as frequent as coup, and almost universally used. Bloomberg, for example, who consistently refers to the event as a coup, is one of the very few sources that never refers to the event as "Operation Gideon".
 * 34) Sources are divided between invasion, infiltration, incursion, raid, anti-Maduro plot, false flag and others, with different outlets having different preferences. For example, Reuters almost always calls it an incursion, while The Wall Street Journal seems to preference raid, etctera.
 * 35) It can often be argued that some media outlets are influenced by Wikipedia, but in this case, the article did not assume the Operation Gideon name until a month after the event, having gone through two names before that (Macuto Bay raid and La Guaira naval attack)

The New York Times
One use of coup after the fact; generally uses the word coup when attributing Maduro's claim; uses many other descriptors, including Gideon
 * 1) 2020-11-01 Trump, Venezuela and the Tug-of-War Over a Strongman, also at
 * a group of radical opposition sympathizers, former military officers and American mercenaries tried to invade Venezuela by speedboats. The operation was ambushed. The attempted coup became a political one for Mr. Maduro,
 * 1) 2020-09-14 Venezuela Says Arrested American Was Planning to Sabotage Oil Refineries, also at :
 * No use of word coup.
 * Passing mention: "Failed beach incursion" ... "Operation ... orchestrated by Joran Goudreau", "ex-Green Beret soldiers ... suspicion of participating in a failed attempt to overthrow the socialist government".
 * 1) 2020-08-08 2 Ex-Green Berets Sentenced to 20 Years for Venezuela Attack, also at :
 * No use of word coup.
 * "failed attack aimed at overthrowing the country’s president", "failed incursion", called “Operation Gideon” — "former Green Beret named Jordan Goudreau, who operated a private, Florida-based security firm called Silvercorp USA, claimed responsibility for the failed attack." "On Venezuelan state TV, the two men  have been widely displayed by officials as proof of their long-held claims that the United States is set on overthrowing Mr. Maduro’s socialist government."
 * 1) 2020-05-07  An Incursion Into Venezuela, Straight Out of Hollywood, also at,  "Ex-Green Beret at Center Of Failed Venezuela Plot"
 * No use of word coup.
 * "operation to overthrow the president", "apparent mission hatched by Mr. Goudreau to overthrow the Venezuelan government", "The Maduro administration has blamed the attack on the United States government, which has denied a connection to Mr. Goudreau or his Florida-based security company SilverCorp." "The plan was called 'Operation Gideon.'"
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela Claims 2 Americans Were Captured in Failed Invasion, also at, "Venezuela Claims 2 Americans Were Captured in Failed Invasion",  "Venezuela Claims to Foil An Armed Invasion by Sea",  "Venezuelan Officials Claim to Have Stopped an Armed Incursion"
 * Only use of word coup attributed to Maduro: "Mr. Maduro and his officials have denounced dozens of what they said were coup and assassination attempts in recent years as the economy has sunk deeper into crisis and millions of Venezuelans have fled the country."
 * "armed incursion", "failed incursion", "Operation Gedeon".

The Wall Street Journal
Almost always uses raid, "failed invasion", often incursion, sometimes Gideon, only uses the word coup in one World news summary, not actual event coverage.
 * 1) 2021-07-15 Miami's Exiles Press for Change in Their Homelands
 * No use of word coup
 * "Last year, an ill-fated attempt -- dubbed Operation Gideon -- to invade Venezuela and depose President Nicolás Maduro allegedly involved another Florida-based security firm."
 * 1) 2020-09-03 Colombia Arrests Venezuelans Tied to Failed Invasion; Charges are latest twist in the bizarre saga to overthrow strongman Nicolas Maduro in May Vyas, Kejal.
 * No use of word coup
 * Raid, incursion, Operation Gideon
 * "Officials here said Thursday they arrested four Venezuelan nationals for their alleged role in arming and training mercenaries who in May invaded neighboring Venezuela in a failed bid to overthrow authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro. The arrests are the latest twist in the bizarre saga of the mission dubbed Operation Gideon, which fell apart on the beaches outside Caracas in early May as Venezuelan soldiers quickly detained dozens of would-be raiders on boats, including two former U.S. Special Forces soldiers hired as mercenaries."
 * 1) 2020-06-26 Venezuelan Opposition Guru Led Planning to Topple Maduro
 * No use of word coup other than when quoting "a high-ranking European diplomat"
 * Consistently used raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-15 Ex-Green Beret Thought U.S. Supported Failed Venezuela Raid, Family Says; Luke Denman's loved ones plead for State Department's help after mission ends in disaster
 * No use of word coup
 * Refers to "venezuelan mission"; raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-10 Poorly Organized and Barely Hidden, Venezuela Invasion Was Doomed to Fail
 * No use of the word coup
 * Invasion, incursion, raid
 * "The other problem that became clear to people familiar with the operation was that it had likely been infiltrated by Venezuelan intelligence -- trained by Cuba's intelligence apparatus."
 * 1) 2020-05-06  "'Freedom Fighters' Led by American Tried Invading Venezuela"
 * Only use of word coup refers to different events
 * Raid, incursion, attack
 * In coverage of other


 * 1) 2020-09-04 World News: World Watch
 * COLOMBIA: Venezuelans Tied to Failed Coup Arrested (in full article, "Failed coup" was changed to "Failed invasion")
 * "Colombian officials said they arrested four Venezuelan nationals for their alleged role in arming and training mercenaries who in May invaded neighboring Venezuela in a failed bid to overthrow authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro. The arrests are the latest twist in the bizarre saga of the mission dubbed Operation Gideon, which fell apart on the beaches outside Caracas as Venezuelan soldiers quickly detained dozens of would-be raiders on boats, including two former U.S. Special Forces soldiers hired as mercenaries."

The Washington Post
Only uses the word coup when attributing Maduro's claim: news coverage of the event does not describe it as coup, one blog analysis of Pompeo's foreign policy did and another blog does. Because blogs do use the word coup, does not appear to be a manual of style issue? All news coverages uses "Operation Gideon", except one discussing the precursor to Operation Gideon, which was Operation Resolution
 * 1) 2020-09-15 Venezuela says it captured American in bombing plot  Source type: Newspaper
 * No use of the word coup.
 * "foiled operations against the government of President Nicolás Maduro", "ragtag raid aimed at capturing or ousting the autocratic leader", "Operation Gideon, a bungled operation in which several dozen defectors from the Venezuelan military and police attempted to reenter the country to capture Maduro".
 * 1) 2020-08-09 20-year sentences for American pair in Venezuela raid  Source type: Newspaper
 * No use of the word coup; "murky raid in May to oust President Nicolás Maduro" attributed to Maduro attorney general
 * "botched mission known as Operation Gideon"
 * 1) 2020-07-19 Participant, U.S. puppet or Maduro's mole in coup plot?  Source type: Newspaper
 * Only use of word coup attributed to Maduro: "Maduro has leveraged the failed mission as a propaganda coup, calling it evidence of an effort by the United States, Colombia and the Venezuelan opposition to kill him - a charge they all deny."
 * "Operation Gideon", "murky conspiracy".
 * 1) 2020-05-11 Inside an ex-Green Beret's failed Venezuelan incursion  Source type: Newspaper
 * Also 2020-05-10 Venezuela raid: How an ex-Green Beret and a defecting general planned to capture Maduro
 * No use of the word coup.
 * "had convinced the men that they were training for a U.S.-backed incursion into Venezuela", "failed incursion", "Operation Gideon"
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Inside 'Plan C': The rogue operation to capture Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro  Source type: Newspaper
 * Also 2020-05-06 From a Miami condo to the Venezuelan coast, how a plan to ‘capture’ Maduro went rogue
 * No use of the word coup.
 * Generally about "Operation Resolution", abandoned precursor to Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-06 U.S. denies role in alleged Venezuela raid  Source type: Newspaper
 * No use of word coup; "President Nicolás Maduro described as an assassination plot".
 * "Operation Gideon", "Goudreau and former Venezuelan National Guard officer Javier Nieto Quintero said what they called "Operation Gideon" was designed to capture senior members of Maduro's government",
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela says it captured two American 'mercenaries'  Source type: Newspaper
 * No use of the word coup. "President Nicolás Maduro said his government had captured two American "mercenaries" Monday in a murky operation allegedly intended to infiltrate Venezuela, incite rebellion and apprehend its leaders, adding a fresh complication to tensions between Washington and Caracas. The socialist leader said the plan was to kill him."
 * "Operation Gideon"
 * 1) 2020-05-04 Venezuela describes 'invasion' launched from Colombia  Source type: Newspaper
 * No use of the word coup.
 * "Operation Gideon", "Goudreau said he had sought U.S. government backing for the effort but was unsuccessful. He angrily claimed that he had discussed cooperation with the mainstream Venezuelan opposition but the opposition pulled out."

WAPO: In coverage of other events, BLOGS

 * 1) 2020-05-21 Pompeo’s foreign diplomacy has a domestic audience in mind  Source type: Blog
 * Venezuela paraded on state television U.S. citizens captured during an outlandish coup attempt — their families say that many involved in the plot believed they had U.S. approval.
 * 1) A Florida security company is entangled in the assassination of Haiti's president. How is that possible?  Source type: Blog;  passing commentary in blog about another topic
 * Moïse's assassination follows others where private security companies have been involved in attempted regime change, including the 2019 failed coup attempt in Venezuela where the former Florida-based Silvercorp USA contracted with Juan Guaidó ... this is a blog, and the author appears confused or editorial oversight was lacking. It refers to 2019 (?? the 2019 Venezuelan uprising attempt - which almost all sources call a coup ??) but then mentions Silvercorp, which was 2020.
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Maduro presents video confession by captured American  Source type: Blog
 * No coup
 * incursion

Associated Press
Sporadic and rare use of word coup, mostly refers to it as a raid or "anti-Maduro plot"
 * 1) 2022-03-28 Ex Green Beret claims Maduro foe is avoiding Miami lawsuit
 * Only uses the word coup when attributing Goudreau's claims: "During those meetings, Goudreau said he was assured by Horn that licenses from the U.S. government regarding the procurement of weapons for the coup effort were forthcoming, although there’s no evidence anything came of those discussions."
 * This source is an example of misrepresentation at this list-- the fifth source listed there.
 * "Goudreau nonetheless plowed ahead, traveling to Colombia to help train a ragtag army of volunteers at secret camps set up by deserters from Venezuela’s military. Operation Gideon — or the Bay of Piglets, as the bloody fiasco came to be known ... "
 * 1) 2022-01-28 Alleged Maduro co-conspirator says CIA knew about coup plans
 * Mixed
 * Uses the word coup when discussing other events of Alcala's attorneys
 * Major propaganda coup for Maduro
 * CIA has a long history of coup-plotting
 * While the attorneys provided no details about what U.S. government may have known about Alcalá's coup plotting,
 * Own coverage describes it as Operation Gideon, crossborder raid, armed raid, snatch and grab operation against Maduro
 * 1) 2021-03-05 3 Venezuelans plead guilty for aiding anti-Maduro plot
 * Never uses the word coup
 * Operation Gideon, failed raid, attempted raid, incursion
 * 1) 2021-02-17 Jailed suspect in anti-Maduro plot blames Colombia, Guaido
 * Never uses the word coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-09-15 Venezuela: U.S. spy sought to sabotage power grid, Telegraph - Herald, AP
 * No use of word coup
 * "The arrest follows a failed beach incursion in early May that landed two ex-Green Beret soldiers in a Venezuelan jail for allegedly participating in a failed attempt to overthrow the socialist government. The two former U.S. special forces soldiers were arrested along with more than 80 rebel Venezuelan fighters who staged a failed beach attack called Operation Gideon aimed at arresting Maduro."
 * 1) 2020-08-09 2 former Green Berets sentenced in Venezuela
 * No use of word coup
 * "Operation Gideon", "blunder-filled beach attack aimed at overthrowing President Nicolás Maduro".
 * 1) 2020-05-28 Failed Maduro coup leader flew on pro-govt magnate’s plane
 * Headlines word coup, only uses it in article when attributing to Maduro
 * Operation Gideon, raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-20 UN urges Venezuela’s rival political leaders to resume talks
 * Only use of the word coup is "The raid at the coastal town of Macuto quickly became a publicity coup for Maduro, whose security forces intercepted most of the attackers, including two Americans, who had aimed to capture the president."
 * Incursion, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-19 Venezuelans tied to anti-Maduro plot sentenced to 6 years
 * No use of the word coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid, incursion, plot
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Democrats press Trump for answers on foiled Venezuela raid
 * The only use of the word coup is "private coup", attributed to Goudreau: "Trump has denied any U.S. involvement in the raid and Goudreau has said he was unable to ever persuade the Trump administration to support his bold plan for a private coup."
 * This source is an example of misrepresentation at this list-- the fourth source listed there.
 * AP describes it as an "attempted raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro", "foiled incursion", "raid"
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Venezuela opposition negotiated Maduro overthrow plan with security firm: report
 * No use of word coup
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Sources: US investigating ex-Green Beret for Venezuela raid
 * No use of word ''coup
 * Raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Trump denies ties to Venezuela coup attempt that leaves ex-special forces soldiers jailed
 * The word coup is used in the title, but never in the article, on the first day after the event.
 * "Operation Gideon designed to capture — and not kill Maduro."
 * 1) 2020-05-04 Ex-Green Beret claims he led foiled raid into Venezuela
 * No use of the word coup
 * Raid, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-04 Venezuela: 2 US ‘mercenaries’ among those nabbed after raid
 * No use of the word coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-01 Ex-Green Beret led failed attempt to oust Venezuela’s Maduro
 * Before May event. Only use of word coup is quote/attributed: At some point, Kraft started raising money among his own circle of fellow trust-fund friends for what he described as a “private coup”
 * Freedom fighters, insurrection

Bloomberg
Forcefully uses coup often; never uses Gideon; several articles avoid any characterization
 * 1) 2020-07-01 The story changes from "how-green-beret-jordan-goudreau-tried-to-oust-venezuela-s-maduro" to "The Mercenary Who Botched a Maduro Coup Is Lying Low in Florida" 2021-07-20 to  The Mercenary Influencer
 * Consistently uses coup in article title and throughout article
 * 1) 2020-05-15 Guaido’s Domain Trembles After Failed Incursion in Venezuela
 * easily halted a bollixed coup led by an American
 * Incursion, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-11 "Guaidó Aides Resign Posts After Botched Invasion of Venezuela"
 * Never uses the word coup
 * Operation, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Venezuelan Legislators Ask Guaido to Fire Aides After Raid.
 * No coup, botched raid, invasion
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Ex-Green Beret Says Attempt to Oust Maduro Ongoing After Setback
 * Never uses the word coup
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Two Americans Held in Venezuela Are Part of Failed Ragtag Coup
 * Uses coup in title; doesn't use in body
 * Operation, invasion

Reuters
Never uses the word coup except when attributing to Madruo; almost always uses incursion
 * 1) 2023-06-30 Venezuela ex-general pleads guilty to US charges of helping FARC
 * Only uses the word coup when attributed to Maduro
 * "planned revolt aimed at ousting Maduro"
 * 1) 2020-08-08 Venezuela court jails two U.S. ex-soldiers for 20 years after failed incursion
 * No use of the word coup
 * Raid, incursion, "The sea incursion launched from Colombia, known as Operation Gideon"
 * 1) 2020-05-11 Venezuelan opposition advisers resign after failed operation to oust Maduro
 * No use of the word coup
 * Incursion, "so-called Operation Gideon"
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Russian troops to help Venezuela search for members of failed incursion: report
 * No use of the word coup
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Venezuela opposition negotiated Maduro overthrow plan with security firm: report
 * No user of word coup
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Detained American claims he plotted Maduro's capture in Venezuela TV statement
 * No use of the word coup
 * Incursion, capture of Maduro
 * 1) 2020-05-06 U.S. will use 'every tool' to secure release if any Americans held in Venezuela: Pompeo
 * No use of the word coup
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Venezuelan authorities detain U.S. citizens allegedly involved in incursion
 * No use of the word coup
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Trump denies U.S. role in what Venezuela says was 'mercenary' incursion
 * No use of the word coup
 * Incursion

CNN, ABC, NBC
Only uses the word coup when attributing Maduro's claim; seems to prefer invasion, uses Gideon (CNN Brazil in Portuguese uses coup once)
 * CNN
 * 1) 2020-05-06 US citizen detained in Venezuela speaks on state TV
 * Only uses of the word coup are attributed to Maduro ... "In a heavily edited video, Luke Denman is shown looking directly at the camera and describing his alleged role in what the Maduro government claims is a “failed coup” attempt organized by US security firm Silvercorp."
 * "alleged invasion"
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela claims to have captured two Americans involved in failed invasion
 * Only uses of the word coup are attributed to Maduro ... "Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says two American “mercenaries” have been apprehended after a failed coup attempt launched over the weekend. The US State Department Tuesday evening called Maduro’s claim 'a major disinformation campaign' that made it 'difficult to separate facts from propaganda.' "
 * "failed invasion", "mercenary operation", "Operation Gideon", "operation to infiltrate Venezuela"
 * ABC
 * 1) 2020-05-14 Families of Americans detained by Venezuela in failed raid plead for help
 * Botched Venezuela coup fallout in Maduro image caption
 * Raid, dubbed "Operation Gideon"
 * 1) 2020-05-04  Trump admin denies involvement in retired Green Beret's alleged operation against Venezuela's Maduro: The State Dept. even said Maduro's allegation could be "disinformation." Conor Finnegan
 * Only use of the word coup is attributed to Maduro video
 * Raid
 * This source is an example of misrepresentation at this list-- the first source listed there.
 * The article states: "President Donald Trump and his administration denied any role in a failed operation allegedly orchestrated by a retired Green Beret to capture Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro. The strongman socialist president said Monday that his security forces had captured two U.S. citizens among dozens of what he called "mercenaries" that attempted to storm the country by sea on Sunday and Monday.
 * NBC
 * 1) 2021-02-17 Jailed suspect in plot to overthrow Venezuelan president Maduro blames Colombia, Guaidó (this is AP)
 * no coup
 * incursion, raid, attack, plot Operation Gideon
 * Description of Riohacha houses and contract
 * 1) 2020-05-16 Ex-Green Beret captured in Venezuela believed U.S. backed overthrow plot: family
 * Never uses the word coup
 * Raid, plot
 * 1) 2020-05-08 The 'mind-blowing' story of the ex-Green Beret who tried to oust Venezuela's Maduro
 * Never uses the word coup
 * Raid, plot, incursion

Los Angeles Times
Uses AP articles, never uses coup
 * 1) 2020-08-08 Ex-Green Berets sentenced to 20 years for Venezuela attack, AP article
 * Never uses the word coup
 * Attack, raid, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-10 Maduro buoyed, Guaidó reeling after failed amphibious raid in Venezuela
 * No use of the word coup
 * Raid, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Ex-Green Beret behind Venezuela raid suspected of plagiarism, AP article
 * No use of the word coup
 * Raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro airs video of American detained in alleged plot, AP Article
 * No use of the word coup
 * Plot, incursion

Miami Herald
Miami Herald noticeably considers it a coup, especially as coverage moves away from the event
 * 1) 2020-11-18 Venezuelan insurgent describes how betrayal in ranks produced failure, summary executions Also available via  Newspapers.com from Longview Daily News, 22 November 2020, p. B8.
 * part of a botched coup known as Operation Gideon
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-10-30 Venezuela coup plotters met at Trump Doral. Central figure says U.S officials knew of plan
 * heavy use of coup throughout; The Silvercorp USA plan
 * Incursion, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-15 Letter and contract put Guaidó at center of failed Venezuelan raid to oust Maduro
 * No use of the word coup
 * Raid, incursion

Bellingcat
Never refers to it as a coup; somewhat mocks the whole Silvercorp affair, highlighting it as a Silvercorp messup in the article titles and body
 * 1) 2020-05-07 The Venezuela/Silvercorp USA Saga Keeps Getting Weirder
 * No use of word coup
 * aim of instigating a nationwide rebellion against the government and capturing its high-ranking members, including President Maduro himself
 * incursion ... source says not much.
 * Operation Gedeon
 * 1) 2020-05-05 The Invasion of Venezuela, Brought To You By Silvercorp USA
 * No use of the word coup
 * "The article explains that the goal of this force would be to infiltrate Venezuela and spark a rebellion that would topple Maduro from power. Under the best light, the article paints Goudreau, a former U.S. Army special forces operative and three-time Bronze Star recipient, as a misguided entrepreneur who saw an opportunity to make a lot of money for Silvercorp USA, his private security company, by signing a contract with the Venezuelan opposition to train Alcalá’s men. As the article makes clear, the plot was so far-fetched that opposition leader Juan Guaido’s intermediates eventually cut contact with him, and some who knew Goudreau in Colombia said that he was “in way over his head” (the article is jaw-dropping and you should read it)."
 * Operation Gedeon, maritime invasion
 * 1) See also Podcast at CJR, where Giancarlo Fiorella never refers to it as a coup.

Voice of America
Mixed
 * 1) 2020-09-23 UN Mission Calls for Investigation of Venezuela Rights Violations, Schlein, Lisa
 * No use of the word coup
 * "Venezuela's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Jorge Valero ... accuses the United States of trying to overthrow his government. He refers to the so-called Operation Gideon, in which a private, US-based security firm led by a former U.S. Army Green Beret and Venezuelan expatriates led an aborted effort to capture President Nicolas Maduro."
 * 1)  2020-05-28 Failed Maduro Coup Leader Flew on Pro-Govt Magnate's Plane (this is AP recycled -- already listed in AP)
 * Coup in headline, only use of coup in article attributed to Maduro
 * Raid, incursion, Operation Gidon

NPR
Mixed
 * 1) 2020-05-06 2 Americans Are Locked Up After A Failed Attempt To Overthrow Venezuelan President
 * quoting Goodman, "for now the only coup that has taken place is a propaganda coup for Maduro".
 * 1) 2020-05-06 After Failed Coup Plot, Maduro Touts Video Of Detained American Conspirator
 * Coup in headline and in content
 * raid
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela's Maduro Says U.S. Sent Men To Assassinate Him
 * No use of coup

BBC
Sporadic use of coup; mostly uses incursion
 * Note: there are many more BBC Monitoring reports in ProQuest. I've checked each and have yet to find a mention of the word coup, so am not listing all of them.


 * 1) 2022-12-22 Venezuela political press review, BBC Monitoring Americas
 * No use of word coup
 * Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2021-07-15 Venezuela political press review, BBC Monitoring
 * No use of the word coup
 * According to "Jorge Rodriguez, President of the government-backed National Assembly, ... evidence that a US-based security firm owned by a Venezuelan migrant suspected of involvement in the recent assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise had been involved in a plot to assassinate President Maduro on 4 August 2018 and the failed 'Operation Gideon' invasion of Venezuela."
 * 1) 2020-10-01 Venezuela political press review 30 September 2020, BBC Monitoring Americas,
 * No use of the word coup
 * "Foreign minister Jorge Arreaza ... a mercenary strategy analogous to Operation Gideon, an attempted maritime invasion frustrated in May of this year by the security bodies of the Venezuelan State".
 * 1) 2020-08-08 Venezuela: Former American soldiers jailed over failed coup
 * Uses the word coup in the title and image caption; the image caption is attributed to Venezuelan military
 * "In the video, Denman appears to confess to his involvement in 'Operation Gideon' - a plot to either kill President Maduro or kidnap him and take him to the United States."
 * 1) 2020-07-30 'Bay of Piglets': A 'bizarre' plot to capture a president
 * Operation Gideon was a deeply flawed coup attempt
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Venezuela: Trump denies role in bungled incursion
 * No use of coup
 * Incursion
 * Mr Maduro said in a news conference: "Donald Trump is the direct chief of this invasion."
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Venezuela TV shows 'US citizens confessing over failed coup'
 * Coup wording attributed to Maduro
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela detains two US citizens over speedboat incursion
 * Coup wording attributed to Maduro
 * Incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-03 Venezuela accuses Colombia of attempting 'terrorist' sea invasion
 * No use of coup
 * Incursion

The Independent
Rarely uses coup; prefers incursion
 * 1) 2021-01-07  Venezuela expresses concern over violence and instability in US amid Capitol riots Graziosi, Graig.
 * Only use of coup refers to 2019 Guaido event
 * "In 2020, an American right-wing mercenary Jordan Goudreau, attempted to lead a clandestine military operation into Venezuela to displace Mr Maduro. 'Operation Gideon,' as Mr Goudreau called it, was reportedly advised against by Mr Guaido because it was amatuerish and poorly-planned. Mr Gordreau may have been motivated to carry out the mission in order to claim a multi-million dollar reward the US was offering for information leading to the arrest of Mr Maduro. The American mercenary's men - approximately 60 poorly armed Venezuelans hiding out in Columbia and at least two former US soldiers - were arrested by Venezuelan security forces before they even reached the shore."
 * 1) 2020-08-08 Venezuela jails former US Green Berets for 20 years over failed coup
 * Coup in title, not in article
 * Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Inside the operation to overthrew Maduro that Venezuela thwarted (this is Washington Post)
 * Only use of coup attributed to Maduro
 * Incursion

The Globe and Mail
Mixed, most recent calls it "beach attack", mostly AP content, no original reporting
 * 1) 2020-08-08 Venezuela sentences two ex-Green Berets to 20 years in prison for attempted beach attack
 * AP article, no coup in title
 * Beach attack
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Venezuela orders arrest of three in U.S. for role in failed coup attempt
 * AP article, coup in title
 * 1) 2020-05-06 A Canadian-American military man, a failed Venezuela coup and a Twitter video Globe and Mail
 * Treats event as coup
 * Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-03 Ex-Green Beret claims he led foiled raid into Venezuela that ended with eight dead
 * AP article, no coup in title
 * Raid

The Guardian
One use of coup; prefers raid
 * 1) 2020-05-19 How an audacious coup attempt in Venezuela backfired
 * Coup in headline
 * 1) 2020-05-12 'His head wasn't in the world of reality': how the plot to invade Venezuela fell apart
 * Only use of coup is describing other events
 * Raid, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-07 US mercenary says group plotted to seize Venezuela's presidential palace
 * Never uses coup
 * Raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Donald Trump denies link to Venezuela armed raid by US citizens (This is Reuters)
 * No use of coup
 * Raid

The Telegraph
Uses coup but varies (seems they can't make up their mind)
 * 1) 2020-09-03 Jailed US mercenaries seek a pardon for failed Maduro kidnap
 * The ringleader of the attempted coup, fellow ex-Green Beret Jordan Goudreau,
 * Kidnap plot
 * 1) 2020-08-09 Ex-green berets given 20 years for 'Bay of Piglets' plot
 * No coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-07-15 Ex-US diplomat in Venezuela on mission to help coup detainees
 * Coup in headline only
 * 1) 2020-05-12 Venezuela arrests 40 suspected of Nicolas Maduro 'kidnap plot'
 * No use of coup
 * Raid
 * 1) 2020-05-10 How naive US mercenaries blew their coup
 * Coup in title
 * Mr Maduro's shaky regime its biggest propaganda coup
 * Plan, mission
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Donald Trump denies being behind bungled Venezuelan coup plot
 * Coup in title, attributed to Trump, nowhere else
 * Plan, Gideon, attack, plot, invasion
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Venezuela 'coup plot leader' provided security at Trump rallies - reports
 * The leader of the failed Venezuela coup; Mr Trump's denial of US involvement in the botched coup
 * 1) 2020-05-04 Eight mercenaries reported dead as Venezuela 'foils coup attempt'
 * Use of coup attributed to chavismo
 * Operation Gideon, raid, incursion

The Times

 * 1) 2020-05-06 Venezuela coup debacle: US mercenaries held by Maduro
 * Coup in title only
 * Can't find non-paywalled access

Al Jazeera
Uses coup once other than when attributing to Maduro & Co; seems to prefer invasion, attack and raid
 * 1) 2020-08-08 Two ex-Green Berets sentenced to 20 years for Venezuela attack
 * Former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau, who operated a private, Florida-based security firm called Silvercorp USA, claimed responsibility for the failed coup d’etat.
 * Operation Gideon, failed beach attack.
 * 1) 2020-05-09 Venezuela troops seize abandoned Colombian combat boats, weapons
 * No use of coup
 * Invasion, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Was the US involved in a coup attempt in Venezuela?
 * There are two uses of the word coup in the print version: one is to ask the question in the headline, the other is attributed as Maduro's claim. The source does not assert it was a coup. In the video, the moderator questions a guest with: "As an attempted coup, this failed", as a preface to asking the guest (Rendon) what was the point.
 * This source is an example of misrepresentation at this list-- the second source listed there.
 * "The mission, according to the government, was to kill Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and spark a coup in Caracas. But others claim the plan was to abduct Maduro and take him – nobody knows where." SilverCorp described as a "one-man show". No further use of the word coup after sensationalized headline, asking a question only. "Crazy operation by bounty hunters ... ended up as a charade." Probably worth watching the 25-minute video. Other than attribution to Maduro, sub-titles call it an "incursion".
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Venezuela ‘failed coup plot’: What we know so far
 * All uses of the word coup in quotes or attributed to Maduro
 * Invasion, plot
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela’s Maduro: Americans captured in failed coup plot
 * Coup in headline attributed to Maduro
 * Invasion, raid

AFP

 * 1) 2021-10-13 UN demands 'independent investigation' over Venezuelan dissident's death
 * No use of coup except in reference to 2002
 * Invasion, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-26 Venezuela attorney general seeks to declare Guaido party 'terrorist organization' AFP with Yahoo
 * No use of coup
 * Invasion
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Russia weighs in on Donald Trump's 'unconvincing' denial of alleged Venezuelan plot AFP with SBS World News
 * No use of coup
 * Mercenary attack
 * 1) 2020-05-04 Venezuela says it foiled an incursion by 'mercenaries'
 * Only use of coup attributed to Maduro & CO
 * Incursion, operation

France24

 * 1) 2020-05-11 Venezuela arrests two US ‘mercenaries’ after alleged raid to capture Maduro
 * No use of coup
 * Raid, invasion
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Venezuela jails two Americans over failed 'invasion'
 * No use of coup
 * Invasion, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela arrests two US ‘mercenaries’ after alleged raid to capture Maduro
 * No use of coup
 * Raid, Operation Gideon

Sky News
Generally, describes as coup
 * 1) 2020-05-07 Venezuela: US mercenary admits role in failed bid to capture Nicolas Maduro
 * No use of coup
 * Raid, attack, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela: Two US citizens held after failed coup attempt are named
 * Coup in title and article
 * Operation Gideon, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-04 Venezuela attack: Former US special forces soldier says he led botched plot to overthrow President Maduro
 * anti-Maduro coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid

EFE (Spain, in English)

 * 1) 2020-05-09 Guaido dodges addressing maritime incursion contract, challenges Maduro EFE (Spain)
 * No coup
 * Incursion, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Maduro points to Guaidó for failed sea incursions, opposition silent  EFE (Spain)
 * No use of coup
 * Raid, incursion, Operation Gideon

Prensa Latina

 * 1) 2023-07-30 Venezuelan Atttorney General assures they fight against corruption, Elsy Fors Garzon.  Prensa Latina; Havana
 * Only mention of coup in context of Hugo Chavez.
 * "and even the attempted maritime incursion known as "Operation Gideon",, in 2020, which was quickly liquidated by the existing civil-military union in Venezuela"
 * 1) 2021-03-10 Nicolás Maduro accuses Colombia of threatening peace, Prensa Latina; Havana.
 * No use of word coup
 * Maduro "recalled that Caracas denounced and presented evidence of "Operation Gideon",, in which it was tried to invade the country and commit assassination acts ... "
 * 1) 2021-02-04 Venezuela to strengthen security in coastal towns, Prensa Latina; Havana.
 * No use of word coup
 * Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced that the Peace Quadrants will be established starting on Thursday, as was also done to neutralize "Operation Gideon", in 2020, when a group of mercenaries financed by the extreme right and supported by the United States and Colombia, tried to disembark in the coasts of la Guaira to kidnap and assassinate him."
 * 1) 2020-05-06 US mercenary confirms plan to capture Maduro
 * No use of coup
 * "Operation Gideon"

Military

 * 1) 2020-05-11 Family of ex-Green Beret captured in Venezuela says men likely believed they were trying to liberate the oppressed
 * botched coup attempt
 * Raid
 * 1) 2020-05-06 Here’s the career info for the former Green Berets involved in Venezuela raid debacle
 * No coup
 * Raid
 * 1) 2020-05-06 US Not Involved in Bizarre Venezuela Coup Attempt, SecDef Insists
 * Coup in headline, unclear if that is Esper attributing

Books
Books in English, from reputable publishers, about Venezuela or from authors knowledgeable on Venezuela don't treat it as a coup; some less reputable publishers or books on unrelated topics do label it a coup.
 * Extended coverage about or knowledge of Venezuela
 * Even an anti-Guaido author, whose writing shows that bias, never refers to it as a coup
 * Refers to the Goodman AP article re Alcala/Goudreau "make plans to overthrow Maduro", Gourdreau's "invasion to liberate Venezuela" video, calls it a "raid" in his own voice, mentions the many questions surrounding the operation "was the point to create a paper trail? Did someone want something to hold over Gauido's head", "Was someone looking to undermind Guiaido", "propaganda-style interrogation of Luke Denman", "take control of an airport", "invasion", "operation" "evidence that the United States was involved in mounting the operation remains sketchy", "botched invasion", and in the Notes to Chapter 30, "Juan Cruz, the former NSC official, and former State Department officials told me that Mattis refused to plan for military action against Venezuela.  John Bolton, in his memoir, describes a similar reluctance at the Defense Department during his tenure". "Nieto ... says ... the operation was code named Gideon"
 * 1)  Section=  Page 234, sec. Political turmoil between 2017 and 2021
 * No use of word coup
 * Operation Gideon
 * Another pro-chavismo author with no coup, no Operation Gideon
 * "bizarre incident"
 * Describes 2019 uprising as a coup attempt, lists in coup section, yet does not describe 2020 as coup
 * "unsuccessful amphibious mini-invasion of Venezuela from Colombia by anti-Maduro Venezuelans and former members of the US armed forces in May 2020, the so-called Operation Gideon"
 * No mention of coup
 * In May 2020, a farcical plot to capture Maduro – named Operation Gideon – was organized by Silvercorp USA, a US private security firm, with a contingent of Venezuelan exiles.
 * "unsuccessful amphibious mini-invasion of Venezuela from Colombia by anti-Maduro Venezuelans and former members of the US armed forces in May 2020, the so-called Operation Gideon"
 * No mention of coup
 * In May 2020, a farcical plot to capture Maduro – named Operation Gideon – was organized by Silvercorp USA, a US private security firm, with a contingent of Venezuelan exiles.
 * In May 2020, a farcical plot to capture Maduro – named Operation Gideon – was organized by Silvercorp USA, a US private security firm, with a contingent of Venezuelan exiles.


 * Marginal relationship to or about Venezuela, passing mention
 * No coup, no Gideon, bizarre case of Jordan Goudreau
 * Describes the event as a coup
 * From a reputable publisher and Russian historian, in a brief passage discussing Russian involvement in Venezuela (unrelated topic), calls it an attempted coup
 * Describes the event as a coup
 * From a reputable publisher and Russian historian, in a brief passage discussing Russian involvement in Venezuela (unrelated topic), calls it an attempted coup
 * From a reputable publisher and Russian historian, in a brief passage discussing Russian involvement in Venezuela (unrelated topic), calls it an attempted coup


 * Dubious publishers or topics unrelated to Venezuela, passing mention
 * From an author known for furthering conspiracy theories: passing mention of coup in a book not found in WorldCat, on an unrelated topic, from a French publisher described on the French Wikipedia as a publisher that has struggled financially and whose motto is "to provoke", and whose author is a specialist in chemical and nuclear weapons, and known for furthering conspiracy theories, according to the French Wikipedia.
 * One-sentence passing mention in a book unrelated to anything about Venezuela from the left-wing Verso Books by author George Ciccariello-Maher. "... the domestic vigilante can easily become the international mercenary, sanctioned or not, as the botched coup attempt ... ".
 * self-important name of Operation Gideon
 * One-sentence passing mention in a book unrelated to anything about Venezuela from the left-wing Verso Books by author George Ciccariello-Maher. "... the domestic vigilante can easily become the international mercenary, sanctioned or not, as the botched coup attempt ... ".
 * self-important name of Operation Gideon

Scholarly/Journal
No use of coup uncovered
 * 1) 2023-02 How Sanctions Led to Authoritarian Capitalism in Venezuela, Bull, Benedicte; Rosales, Antulio.  Current History; Oakland Vol. 122, Iss. 841,  (Feb 2023): 49-55. DOI:10.1525/curh.2023.122.841.49
 * Only use of the word coup refers to Hugo Chavez.
 * "It turned out that there was no agreement on intervention. The only attempt at an armed insurrection was Operation Gideon, a May 2020 operation ineffectively planned and executed by exiles who landed in Venezuela’s coastal town of Macuto with a handful of poorly trained armed men."
 * 1) 2022-06-22 A Friend and Foe Teach Us How Not to Handle Venezuela, Harwood, Graham.  Chicago Policy Review, Harris School of Public Policy
 * Only use of the word coup refers to earlier Hugo Chavez coup attempt.
 * "The shambolic 'Operation Gideon even has a resemblance to an even more incompetent Bay of Pigs Invasion."
 * 1) 2022 U.S. and Latin American Relations, Weeks and Allison, Cambridge University Press, p. 5
 * Never uses the word coup
 * "Bay of Piglets", "Operation Gideon", Maduro called it "defeated raid".
 * 1) 2021  Venezuela: Autocratic Consolidation and Splintered Economic Liberalization, Rosales & Jimenez, Revista de Ciencia Politica [Magazine of Political Science]
 * No coup
 * The preference for a clean-cut transition within some sectors of the opposition was further evidenced by the 'Operation Gedeón' in May 2020, a failed attempt by a small group of hired soldiers to oust Maduro.
 * 1) 2021 Steven A. Koh, The Criminalization of Foreign Relations, in 90 Fordham Law Review 737 (2021). https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/3083
 * No use of the word coup in an article which describes other events with the word coup
 * "Maduro has disparaged the charges, accusing the United States and Colombia of inciting more violence in Venezuela and has taken retaliatory steps by seeking the extradition of Jordan Goudreau, who helped organize the failed incursion of Venezuela, from the United States."
 * 1) 2020-12-19 Venezuelan military: a political and ideological model in Chavista governments
 * An extensive analysis of coups and the military in Venezuela, describes many other events as coup, but does not describe Gideon as a coup
 * "These goals have had several political and military moments of intense pressure, seeking to replace Maduro, as: i) Guaidó’s self-proclamation as interim president of Venezuela in January 2019, also recognized by more than 50 countries; ii) the pressure for the entry of humanitarian aid through the city of Cúcuta on the Colombian border, in February 2019, which saw the commitment of presidents of Colombia, Chile and Paraguay and representatives of the US embassy in Colombia; iii) a frustrated military revolt in Caracas (known as Operation Liberty), on 29 April 2019, led by Guaidó himself; and, iv) finally, Operation Gideon (Operación Gedeón, in Spanish) on 3 May 2020, consisting of an attempt of some Venezuelan military and civilian dissidents (mainly exiled in Colombia) and three members of a US private security force to infiltrate Venezuela from Colombia, through the coastal state of La Guaira."
 * 1) 2020
 * Uses the word coup to describe Maduro's auto-coup by installing the ANC – Constituent National Assembly – but avoids the word when speaking of "plan" for "toppling Maduro".
 * "Operation Gideon, the armed assault that failed to unseat Maduro in early May 2020, illustrates the extent of both military disaffection and state-sponsored surveillance. This plan by about three-hundred exiled Venezuelan military officers based in Colombia called for invading Venezuela by sea and toppling Maduro. The endeavor was aided by a U.S. security firm and had some support from civilian opponents of Maduro. The landing attempt, which in the end consisted of around sixty people, would not have been possible without military defections. Among the reasons it failed was the degree to which Maduro had managed to infiltrate it. His forces were ready and intercepted the two invasion boats."

Think tanks
One podcast uses coup in headline
 * 1) International Crisis Group (left-leaning)
 * 2) 2022-02-17 Overcoming the Global Rift on Venezuela
 * Only use of coup related to other events
 * Each has repeatedly accused the other of harbouring rebels seeking to overthrow the respective governments, and in May 2020 Venezuela foiled a poorly executed plot, known as Operation Gideon, involving small groups of armed men trained in Colom�bia.
 * 1) 2020-12-21 Venezuela: What Lies Ahead after Election Clinches Maduro's Clean Sweep
 * On 10 April 2019, again at U.S. urging, the council heard testimony on the humanitarian crisis, and on 20 May 2020 it was convened at Russia’s behest after the failure of Operation Gideon (see fn 94).
 * 1) 2021-07 Venezuela’s Bolivarian Armed Force:Fear and Interest in the Face of Political Change Wilson Center, pp. 7–8
 * No use of coup
 * Operation Gideon, an attempt to start an armed insurrection in Venezuela linked to a few members of the opposition, in which a few former members of the US military were captured by Venezuelan security forces.29 Taken together, these incidents were used by pro-Maduro senior military officers to portray the opposition as too radical to protect the interests of the armed forces and not supportive of the constitution and democratic legality.
 * 1) American Enterprise Institute (right-leaning)
 * 2) 2021-03-03 Shoring up a Beleagured Ally
 * Two episodes best illustrate how untrustworthy US sources have become: the failed April 2019 uprising announced from La Carlota Air Base in Caracas and Operation Gideon, the failed 2020 amphibious invasion planned in neighboring Colombia by a sanctioned Venezuelan general.
 * An in-depth investigation of previously undisclosed documents explains exactly how the Cuban government directed the restructuring and rebuilding of Venezuela’s armed forces more than a decade ago. By monitoring domestic and internal military activities, the Cubans sought to “coup proof” the Venezuelan regime. To do so, they erected an organization—the Directorate General of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM)—that sits above the Venezuelan armed forces and neutralizes any whiff of defection within the ranks. Members of the DGCIM have been implicated in a plethora of human rights abuses, including the detention and torture of military personnel and their families.29 Cuban intelligence personnel have trained Venezuelan soldiers, at times alongside Iranian officials, in interrogation techniques and torture methods.
 * 1) 2020-05-14 WTH Happened with the Failed Venezuelan Coup? Discussing the Mercenaries That Tried to Take out Maduro
 * Coup in headline of podcast
 * Coup in headline of podcast

Other (including some of varying quality)

 * 1) 2022-10-11 US hegemony: False alarms divulge hypocrisy at home, Cross, Grenville.  China Daily, Hong Kong ed.; Aberdeen.
 * No use of word coup except related to other events
 * "On May 3, 2020, in a reprise of the Bay of Pigs operation, anti-Maduro insurgents launched 'Operation Gideon' beginning at Macuto Bay, north of Caracas. A group of armed Venezuelan dissidents, with the backing of a private military company, Silvercorp USA, invaded Venezuela by sea, with their plan being to infiltrate the country and topple Maduro."
 * 1) 2022-01-29 Alleged Nicolás Maduro co-conspirator Cliver Alcalá says CIA knew about Venezuelan coup plans ABC Australia
 * Treats as coup
 * "Operation Gideon", raid, incursion
 * 1) 2021-06-17 Bolivian ex-minister of defense plotted ... The Intercept
 * Passing mention of Silvercorp USA coup in unrelated article
 * 1) 2020-10-26 Venezuela points fingers at Spain after opposition leader flees, Kaiser, Nick. Deutsche Presse-Agentur
 * No use of the word coup
 * The Venezuelan government ... accused Silva of knowing that Lopez was planning 'Operation Gideon' - an unsuccessful plot the government said was aimed at killing Maduro and destabilizing the country in May."
 * 1) 2020-08-15 The world at a glance, Anonymous. The Week; Bath Iss. 1292,  (Aug 15, 2020): 8-9.
 * "Coup plotters sentenced: Two former US Green Berets have been sentenced to 20 years in prison for their parts in a botched attempt to oust Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro. Prosecutors said that Luke Denman and Airan Berry had admitted to taking part in 'Operation Gideon' on 4 May, in which a group of US mercenaries and Venezuelan rebels set off from Colombia and landed on Venezuela's coast, planning to seize Maduro and fly him to the US. The shambolic rebellion - organised by a third former Green Beret, Jordan Goudreau - was swiftly put down by the Venezuelan military ... "
 * 1) 2020-08-10 Venezuela/United States: Venezuela Sentences Two US Mercs Involved in Botched 'Bay of Piglets' Raid to 20 Years in Jail  Asia News Monitor, Thailand
 * No coup
 * Raid, incursion, Operation Gideon
 * 1) 2020-08-10 20 years for ex-green berets: Venezuela  Sydney Morning Herald (this is AP)
 * No coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid
 * 1) 2020-08-09 Former Green Berets sentenced in bungled attack in Venezuela  Orlando Sentinel
 * No coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-08-09 Former Green Berets sentenced in bungled attack in Venezuela  Chicago Tribune
 * No coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid, incursion
 * 1) 2020-05-11 The 'ridiculous' failed coup attempt in Venezuela, explained VOX
 * Treats event as a coup
 * Operation Gideon, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Venezuela charges Americans for foiled 'invasion' DW (Germany)
 * Never uses the word coup
 * Incursion, invasion, raid
 * 1) 2020-05-08 Podcast: A break from the pandemic—the bizarre invasion of Venezuela. Colombia Journal Review, but not peer-reviewed (ie, not scholarly), rather a podcast interview of Giancarlo Fiorella of Bellingcat -- early on while things were still unfolding, lots of missing pieces.
 * Blurb refers to coup and interviewer uses the word twice, once as "whatever", Bellingcat never does
 * 2:25 "Whatever ... coup attempt ...
 * Refers to "Expatriate Venezuelan soldiers
 * 8:35 Giancarlo refers to Maduro constantly believing there are coup plots against him
 * 11:45 good explanation of the term "opposition" as "80% of the country"
 * 11:59 interviewer: "So let's get back to the coup"
 * 18:50 Giancarlo quotes/attributes "coup" to Maduro's claims
 * 1) 2020-05-05 Venezuela stops raid Spokesman Review
 * No use of word coup
 * "following a beach invasion aimed at capturing socialist President Nicolas Maduro"
 * Operation Gideon

Sarcasm

 * 1) Why Would You Tweet About Your Coup? NYMAG
 * coup
 * 1) 2020-05-05 The Dumbest Aspects of the Apparent Coup Attempt in Venezuela NYMag
 * coup
 * coup, see WP:VICE (not high quality)
 * coup, see WP:VICE (not high quality)

Maduro government

 * 1) 2023-10-05 Fiscal General Tarek William Saab anunció orden de aprehensión contra Juan Guaidó
 * No use of golpe (coup)
 * Adicionalmente, se investiga la participación y financiamiento en actos conspirativos por parte del supuesto gobierno de Guaidó en contra de las autoridades legítimamente constituidas; tales como la denominada 'Operación Gedeón'. [Additionally, the participation and financing in conspiratorial acts by the alleged Guaidó government against the legitimately constituted authorities is being investigated; such as the so-called 'Operation Gideon'.]