An ambitious and complex espionage plan, revealed by The Associated Press (AP), details how United States authorities tried, without success, to persuade the main pilot of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to hand him over to American justice. The strategy involved promises of wealth and glory, and was spread via encrypted communications for more than a year.

The target of the plot was Air Force Colonel Bitner Villegas, Maduro’s elite pilot. US agent Edwin López conceived the plan: convince Villegas to divert the presidential plane to a territory where he could be arrested, such as Puerto Rico or the Guantanamo base. In exchange, López offered him to become a “very rich man” and be hailed as the “hero of Venezuela.”

The plot was activated in April 2024, when two presidential planes were in the Dominican Republic for maintenance. López and another federal agent managed to interrogate Villegas, who, although nervous, gave up his cell phone number.

Encrypted Messages and Constant Pressure

The persuasion continued even after Lopez retired in July. The former agent persisted in sending encrypted messages on WhatsApp and Telegram. In August, he attempted to pressure Villegas by forwarding him the U.S. Department of Justice’s announcement about increasing the reward for Maduro to $50 million.

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The former agent’s insistence contrasted with Villegas’ final response in September, who flatly refused. The pilot called the agent a “coward” and stated that Venezuelans “the last thing we are are traitors.”

Although the plan to capture Maduro failed, the United States managed to seize the two aircraft in the Dominican Republic, one of which, according to López, contained a “treasure of intelligence.” Anti-Maduro allies in exile used the failure to publish a photo of Villegas and López on social networks, in an attempt to raise doubts in Maduro about the loyalty of his pilot.

The case highlights the intricate and risky efforts of the United States to capture the Venezuelan leader, whom it accuses of being the head of the “Cartel of the Suns.”

It’s close! The United States was close to convincing Maduro’s pilot to hand him over