more evidence that this country isn't what it advertises itself to be; 

At a moment that hawkish US lawmakers are already saying "Maduro's days are numbered" - some of US intelligence's dirty tricks toward accomplishing regime change in Venezuela have been revealed.

According to a fresh and detailed Associated Press report, a US federal agent covertly tried to recruit Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's personal pilot in a scheme to nab the Venezuelan leader and bring him to the United States, where he would face drug smuggling charges and even potential 'terrorism'-related charges.

Three current and former US officials, as well as a Venezuelan opposition figure, said that Homeland Security agent Edwin Lopez met Maduro's pilot, General Bitner Villegas, in the Dominican Republic in 2024. 

"In exchange, the agent told the pilot in a clandestine meeting, the aviator would be made a very rich man," the AP says, and there was exchange of contact information.

The pilot was offered money and protection for what would be a very daring and risky operation if he were to agree to it.  "All he had to do was surreptitiously divert the Venezuelan president’s plane to a place where U.S. authorities could nab the strongman," the report says..........more.............