A United States military veteran has fled the country ahead of his scheduled trial related to a failed 2020 operation aimed at removing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, according to court documents and law enforcement sources.

The veteran was among those charged in connection with what has been described as a botched paramilitary incursion into Venezuela in May 2020. The operation, which involved former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau and other American military contractors, aimed to capture Maduro but was quickly thwarted by Venezuelan security forces.

Meanwhile, US federal prosecutors are defending their decision to block Venezuelan government funds that were intended to pay for Maduro's legal defense in related proceedings. The prosecutors argue that allowing access to these state funds would undermine ongoing sanctions and legal restrictions against the Venezuelan government.

The 2020 incident, dubbed "Operation Gideon" by its organizers, resulted in the deaths of several participants and the capture of two former US Special Forces soldiers. Venezuelan authorities arrested dozens of people in connection with the failed operation, while US authorities have pursued separate criminal cases against American participants.

The legal proceedings highlight the complex web of sanctions, criminal charges, and diplomatic tensions surrounding US-Venezuela relations during the ongoing political crisis in the South American nation. Venezuelan officials have characterized the operation as a US-backed invasion attempt, while American authorities have treated it primarily as a private mercenary operation that violated US neutrality laws.