On October 31, 2025, a federal judge in Tampa issued an arrest warrant for Jordan Goudreau, the 49-year-old former Green Beret whose name has become synonymous with the failed 2020 coup attempt to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The arrest order came after Goudreau failed to appear for a crucial court hearing regarding allegations that he violated the terms of his pre-trial release—an absence that has thrown a fresh spotlight on a saga already brimming with intrigue, controversy, and international consequences.
Goudreau’s legal troubles began in 2024, when he was arrested on weapons smuggling charges linked to the infamous incursion, known as the "Bay of Piglets," which sought to spark an uprising in Venezuela. According to the Associated Press, the plot was exposed two days before it was set to unfold, leading to the deaths of several would-be rebels and the imprisonment of two U.S. Special Forces veterans in Venezuela. Goudreau’s alleged role was pivotal: he was accused of orchestrating the plan to train Venezuelan army deserters in Colombia, preparing them for a cross-border raid that, in theory, would topple Maduro’s regime.
After spending several weeks in jail, Goudreau was released on bond, thanks to the intervention of filmmaker Jen Gatien. Gatien, who had pledged her $2 million Manhattan apartment as collateral, later became a central figure in the courtroom drama. In late October 2025, Gatien testified that Goudreau had turned abusive, threatened her and others, and sent her a series of text messages in which he declared, "I'm not going back to prison." The implication, prosecutors argued, was clear: Goudreau intended to flee.
Judge Christopher Tuite, who presided over the bond hearing, waited 30 minutes for Goudreau to appear for the third day of proceedings before issuing the warrant. A probation officer reported that the ankle monitor Goudreau was required to wear was still in the Tampa area, where he had been living and participating in equine-assisted therapy under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Goudreau's attorney, Marissel Descalzo, admitted to the court, "I'm at a loss. I have not spoken to him as to why he's not here."
The relationship between Goudreau and Gatien has become increasingly fraught, a situation exacerbated by the release of Gatien’s documentary, "Men of War," in late September 2025. The film offers a largely sympathetic portrayal of Goudreau’s motivations and the chaos surrounding the failed coup. However, since its debut, Gatien has accused Goudreau of deceit, financial coercion, and threatening conduct. In court filings, she described an "undisclosed side agreement" in which Goudreau allegedly promised to pledge his reserves of cash, gold coins, and cryptocurrency to offset her financial risk as his sole bond guarantor—a promise she claims he broke. "I would have gotten zero if he fled. All I got was broken promises for the past year," Gatien testified, according to the Associated Press.
The drama didn’t stop there. Among those scheduled to testify at the hearing was an Oklahoma couple, Brande and Jason Woolems, who had been storing some of Goudreau’s belongings, including two assault rifles. Prosecutors allege that an associate of Goudreau tried to retrieve these rifles recently, possibly violating a court order prohibiting Goudreau from possessing firearms while on bond. In a sworn affidavit, the Woolemses recounted that Goudreau called them last month, pressuring them to make false accusations against Gatien to prevent her from backing out as his bond guarantor. "When we declined, he called us ‘Judas’ and accused us of betrayal, yelling repeatedly in anger," they stated.
The failed 2020 invasion has been widely criticized as amateurish and emblematic of what some describe as the Trump administration’s haphazard approach to regime change in Venezuela. According to the Associated Press, these criticisms have only intensified in recent weeks, as a naval flotilla deployed by former President Trump has launched deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats departing Venezuela, and the CIA has been authorized to carry out covert actions in the region.
Goudreau, meanwhile, has reemerged as a media pundit, gaining traction with both Trump supporters and his critics. In interviews, he’s lashed out at what he calls "deep-state actors"—including the CIA and State Department—whom he blames for sabotaging his mission. He maintains that his clandestine operation had at least implicit approval from the Trump administration, even as he dismisses Trump’s claims that Maduro leads the so-called Suns Cartel as a "fabrication of the CIA." In a recent interview with Russian state-owned RT, Goudreau remarked, "If we do invade Venezuela, what’s next? The truth of the matter is the Venezuelan opposition is as ruthless and tyrannical as the Venezuelan regime under Nicolas Maduro."
Goudreau’s path to this point is as winding as it is controversial. Born in Canada, he became involved in Venezuelan democracy efforts after working security at a benefit concert in Colombia—an experience that, despite his lack of Spanish, brought him into close contact with exiled allies of opposition leader Juan Guaidó. The U.S. government at the time recognized Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. Over several months, Goudreau and his new contacts devised a plan to invade Venezuela and ignite a popular rebellion. He even signed a contract with Guaidó’s team, but the partnership dissolved months before the raid, possibly due to infiltration by Maduro’s intelligence services.
Goudreau now faces trial in February 2026 on charges of failing to obtain an export license for shipping approximately 60 AR-15 rifles to clandestine camps. Prosecutors assert that two of the rifles seized in Colombia contained Goudreau’s DNA, and that other equipment—suppressors, night-vision goggles, and more—had serial numbers matching purchases made by Silvercorp, Goudreau’s Melbourne, Florida-based security firm.
The personal entanglements in this story are as complex as its geopolitical implications. Gatien, who registered a Florida production company with Goudreau in 2021, was described in court records as his girlfriend. Yet, under oath, she insisted the relationship was platonic, stating they were "good friends" who lived together while Goudreau attended the New York Film Academy.
As the search for Goudreau intensifies, the case stands as a cautionary tale about the blurred lines between private military adventurism, personal ambition, and international intrigue. The repercussions of the Bay of Piglets continue to ripple through U.S. foreign policy and the lives of those swept up in its wake.
