Ex-green Berets Sentenced to 20 Years for Venezuela Attack

I.D. cards of former U.S. special forces citizen Airan Berry, right, and Luke Denman, left, in Caracas, Venezuela were released by the Venezuelan Miraflores presidential press office on May 4, 2020. Miraflores Palace presidential press office via AP, File

CARACAS, Venezuela—A Venezuelan court has sentenced two former U.S. special forces soldiers to 20 years in prison for their part in a blunder-filled beach attack aimed at overthrowing President Nicolás Maduro.

Lawyers for the former Green Berets, Luke Denman and Airan Berry, said they were barred from the secretive jailhouse proceedings Friday night in what they consider a violation of their constitutional rights to a defense.