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As this latest coup attempt was literally stopped in its tracks, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry made this accusation: "The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces to the international community a new mercenary and terrorist aggression organized from the territory of the Republic of Colombia and planned by US agents, against peace, democracy and sovereignty of Venezuela." Predictably, Colombia denied any responsibility and dismissed the accusations. And as for the US, recall it had put out a $15 million bounty on the Venezuelan president. Included in those arrested was a "veteran agent" of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - an undeniable link to Washington.

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Trump has denied any involvement by the U.S. government in the failed armed incursion.

"We'll find out. We just heard about it," Trump said when asked about the incident and the Americans' arrests. "But it has nothing to do with our government."

The US State Department accused the Maduro government of a "highly questionable representation of the details," saying it did not accept the account at face value and was seeking more information. It did not specify, however, what it believed had been distorted.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told a Pentagon briefing: "The United States government had nothing to do with what's happened in Venezuela in the last few days."

State Department spokesman said: "We will also be looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime in this melodrama and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela." There was no immediate sign, however, that the U.S. and Venezuelan governments were communicating about the matter.

© Reuters/Miraflores Palace
Personal documents of detained US mercenaries shown by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro during a virtual news conference in Caracas.

Two captured mercenaries are spilling the beans. They say kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and bringing him to the US was the objective of the failed incursion into the country.

Mercenary Luke Denman said he was tasked to take control of the airport in order to facilitate the transfer of Maduro to the US. "I expected anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000," he said.

Pompeo pledged that the White House would use "every tool" in order to bring the two Americans - who used to serve in US special operations forces - back home.

Perhaps to shut them up?

Meanwhile, Moscow isn't buying US' denial of culpability - says it was 'alarmed' by foreign mercenaries with links to US special services attempted to land in Venezuela.

As the US has said: 'All options are on the table."

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