VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro touted a video showing a scruffy-looking American divulging details about a failed invasion as proof Wednesday that U.S. authorities backed an alleged attempt to forcibly remove him from power.

Maduro aired a video of Luke Denman on state television in which the 34-year-old Texas native claims he signed a contract with a Florida-based company to train rebel troops and carry out the assault in exchange for up to US$100,000.

“I was helping Venezuelans take back control of their country,” he said.

Denman and Airan Berry, both former U.S. special forces soldiers who served in Iraq, were detained Monday following what authorities described as a botched beach landing in the fishing village of Chuao. Both men are associated with Silvercorp USA, a private firm founded by Jordan Goudreau, an ex-Green Beret claiming responsibility for the alleged incursion.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States had nothing to do with the purported attack and Goudreau is under federal investigation for arms trafficking, according to current and former U.S. law enforcement officials. Nonetheless, the Venezuelan leader insists his U.S. adversary was behind the apparent attempt to force him out.

“There’s the proof,” he said, pointing to the video, in which Denman indicates that Trump was behind Silvercorp’s incursion. “And there will be more.”

Nonetheless, opposition critics and observers said the testimony should be taken with a grain of salt, noting that Venezuelan authorities have a record of forcing statements. Though Denman did not appear under duress, one expert noted that he made an unusual and exaggerated gesture with his eyes in what may have been a covert signal to those watching.

“Special operation soldiers are trained to find creative ways to discredit any propaganda videos they are forced to make if captured by the enemy,” said Ephraim Mattos, a Navy SEAL who had visited the rebel training camps in Colombia but was not involved in the operation.

He said that the odd eye movement immediately after saying Trump was Goudreau’s boss is “a clear sign from Luke that he is being forced.”

The events have sparked new tensions between Venezuela and the U.S.(SD-Agencies)