An investigation reveals that a U.S. agent tried, for 16 months, to convince the personal pilot of the Venezuelan president to hijack his plane to allow his arrest. The secret operation failed, but it is one of Washington’s most direct maneuvers to capture a foreign head of state.
A plan worthy of a spy novel was brought to light on October 28 by the Associated Press agency: U.S. services attempted to recruit General Bitner Villegas, personal pilot of Nicolas Maduro, to discreetly redirect the Venezuelan presidential plane toward U.S.-controlled territory. The objective: to enable the kidnapping and transfer of Maduro to the United States, where he has been indicted since 2020 for narco-terrorism.
According to the agency, it all began in April 2024 at the U.S. embassy in the Dominican Republic. An informant signaled the presence of two Maduro jets under repair. This intelligence helped identify Villegas, an air force colonel and member of the presidential honor guard. He regularly transports Maduro, notably to Iran, Cuba, or Russia.
The American agent Edwin Lopez, a former special forces member, then contacted Villegas. Their first meeting took place in an airport hangar in Santo Domingo. According to Associated Press on October 28, Lopez made an enticing offer: hijack the plane to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, or the Guantánamo base, in exchange for a fortune and total protection.
Despite the agent’s insistence, reinforced by messages on WhatsApp and Telegram, the pilot remained loyal to Maduro.
In August 2025, Lopez came back with the promise of a $50 million reward offered by Washington for the capture of the Venezuelan president. The pilot eventually cut off all contact.
After this failure, Lopez tried to sow doubt about Villegas’s loyalty. A photo of their meeting was distributed on X by Marshall Billingslea, close to the Venezuelan opposition. This message, published when a presidential plane made a strange U-turn over Caracas, fueled rumors.
The pilot disappeared for a few days, then reappeared on Venezuelan television alongside Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, wearing a military uniform and raising his fist as a sign of loyalty.
Still according to Associated Press, this kidnapping attempt is one of the most blatant actions by U.S. services against a foreign head of state since Donald Trump’s return to power.
The American president recently authorized clandestine CIA operations in Venezuela, strengthened military presence in the Caribbean, and increased strikes against boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking. At least 57 people have been killed in these operations.
According to AP, the United States also seized two of Maduro’s private jets, one in September 2024 and another in February 2025, under the pretext of sanctions.
The Venezuelan government, through a statement relayed by AP, condemned this “direct aggression against the country’s sovereignty.” Nicolas Maduro publicly called on Donald Trump to “stop his war preparations” and to give up the “psychological campaign” against Caracas.
The Venezuelan president stated that his country faces the gravest invasion threat in a century.
The United States has not commented on the matter, but this new episode confirms Washington’s persistent desire to overthrow Maduro, even if it means using covert warfare methods.
Beyond the operation’s failure, it is the seriousness of the act that is alarming: attempting to kidnap a sitting head of state is a direct violation of international law. This disturbing precedent shows how far the United States arrogates the right to do whatever it wants, without any limits.