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Mercenary Captain Details Failed Venezuela Operation

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  Published in Politics and Government on Friday, January 9th 2026 at 4:43 GMT by The Quint

Five years after a disastrous 2019 operation, Captain Vikrant, a former Indian Army officer, details his harrowing experiences as a mercenary involved in a US-backed attempt to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In May 2019, Captain Vikrant arrived in Venezuela under false pretenses, believing he was taking a well-compensated security detail job. He soon discovered he was a pawn in 'Operation Freedom,' a covert and ultimately failed attempt to remove President Maduro from power. Recruited by Silvercorp USA, a private military company (PMC) headed by ex-Green Beret Jordan Goudreau, Vikrant's story sheds light on the shadowy world of mercenary work and the geopolitical maneuvering that fueled the failed intervention.

The operation, as Vikrant recounts, was plagued by incompetence from the start. Around 80 mercenaries, largely inexperienced and ill-equipped, were dispatched to Venezuela with vague instructions and inadequate logistical support. The initial plan involved infiltrating the country via sea to establish a secure landing zone for a larger, unspecified force. However, a lack of reliable communication, flawed intelligence, and a critical shortage of supplies quickly derailed any semblance of order. The mercenaries were, in Vikrant's words, "dropped into a hostile environment with limited resources and no clear direction."

The landing attempt near Puerto Cabello on May 3rd was a disastrous failure. Intercepted by the Venezuelan military and the Guardia Nacional Bolivariana (GNB), the mercenaries were met with fierce resistance. A brutal firefight ensued, resulting in significant casualties among the mercenary force. Vikrant and a small group managed to evade immediate capture, embarking on a desperate flight across the Venezuelan countryside, relentlessly pursued by security forces.

After days of evading capture, Vikrant's group was ambushed on May 8th and taken prisoner. He endured nearly a year of imprisonment in harsh Venezuelan conditions - overcrowding, unsanitary environments, and a severe lack of medical care. He alleges experiencing both physical and psychological abuse, and describes the authorities' efforts to portray the mercenaries as US-backed terrorists for propaganda purposes. His family in India remained unaware of his fate for months, and Vikrant claims the Indian embassy offered limited assistance, citing diplomatic complexities.

The core of the debacle, Vikrant insists, lies with Silvercorp USA and its leader, Jordan Goudreau. He paints a picture of Goudreau as a charismatic but irresponsible figure motivated by profit, who promised a secure operation and generous compensation that he failed to deliver. Goudreau's background, according to Vikrant, was marked by a pattern of risky ventures and a lack of the expertise necessary to manage such a complex operation. The operation appears to have been funded by US individuals with connections to the Trump administration, although the US government officially disavowed any involvement.

Vikrant was finally released in December 2019 as part of a prisoner exchange orchestrated by a US diplomat, a move designed to ease tensions between the US and Venezuela. Upon his return to India, he faced intense scrutiny and an investigation into his participation in the Venezuelan operation. He fully cooperated with the authorities, providing a detailed account of his experiences.

The psychological toll of 'Operation Freedom' has been significant. Vikrant emphasizes the loss of comrades and the profound trauma he experienced. He now shares his story as a warning against the perils of mercenary work, hoping to prevent others from making similar mistakes. His account serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of geopolitical conflicts and the dangers of engaging in unregulated private military operations. The failure of Operation Freedom, according to Vikrant, highlights the importance of proper planning, reliable intelligence, and a clear understanding of the risks involved in such ventures.