Goudreau, in an interview with The Washington Post, confirmed that two Americans in what he says was a force of about 60 men were captured Monday along with six Venezuelans. He identified the Americans as Airan Berry and Luke Denman. Also captured was one of the operation’s leaders, former Capt. Antonio Sequea.

The Americans, Goudreau said, were fellow former Special Forces members he had known for years who had joined the operation as “supervisors.” He said he has engaged a lawyer in Venezuela and was reaching out to the State Department to try to secure their release.