US soldiers jailed for Venezuela coup attempt seek pardon

Two US special forces soldiers jailed in Venezuela for trying to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro are seeking an official pardon for early release, The Telegraph has learned. Former US Green Berets Luke Denman and Airan Berry were given 20 years each for their role in a botched operation to kidnap Mr Maduro and bring him to the US for trial. The court hearing against them earlier this month took place behind closed doors with no lawyers present. However, the families of the two men were already in talks with Mr Maduro's officials with a view to pleading for clemency. In July they asked Bill Richardson, a former Democrat senator and diplomatic trouble-shooter for President Clinton, to make a private visit to Caracas to lobby on their behalf. He runs his own non-profit organisation, the Richardson Centre, which works to secure the release of US citizens detained around the world.

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