In what reads like a Cold War spy thriller, a former U.S. federal agent attempted to convince Nicolás Maduro’s chief pilot to secretly divert the Venezuelan president’s plane to U.S. custody — in exchange for wealth and safety for the pilot’s family. The plan, however, ultimately failed.

Edwin Lopez, a retired Homeland Security Investigations agent and former U.S. Army Ranger, first approached the pilot, Colonel Bitner Villegas, at an airport hangar in the Dominican Republic in 2024. Lopez pitched the idea in person, offering a chance for the pilot to become a national hero in Venezuela and a “very rich man” abroad. Villegas left the meeting noncommittal, but provided his cell number — a signal Lopez interpreted as potential interest.

Over the next 16 months, Lopez repeatedly attempted to persuade Villegas through encrypted messaging apps. The agent highlighted a $50 million U.S. bounty on Maduro’s capture and hinted at a better life for the pilot’s family in the United States. But Villegas ultimately refused to cooperate, repeatedly emphasizing loyalty to Maduro and mocking Lopez’s efforts.

The plan was part of a broader U.S. strategy to pressure Maduro, whom Washington accuses of supporting drug traffickers, terrorists, and autocratic allies like Cuba. Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, U.S. forces have conducted multiple strikes in the Caribbean targeting suspected cocaine smuggling networks, and the CIA has been authorized to carry out covert actions inside Venezuela.

The operation underscores the slapdash, high-risk tactics sometimes employed by U.S. intelligence to influence foreign leaders. Lopez’s approach combined diplomacy, bribery, psychological pressure, and the use of private intelligence networks — including exiled opposition groups. Despite these efforts, Villegas remained loyal to Maduro, later appearing on Venezuelan state TV to publicly affirm his allegiance.

The failed scheme also highlights the personal risk and obsession of U.S. operatives like Lopez. Even after retiring in July, Lopez continued pursuing Villegas, believing he had an “unfinished mission” to bring Maduro to justice.

Analysts say the operation illustrates the limits of U.S. influence in Venezuela. High-ranking insiders like Villegas are deeply embedded in Maduro’s inner circle and face severe consequences for betrayal. Attempts to entice them with wealth or promises of safety have largely been unsuccessful, showing that loyalty and fear of reprisals often outweigh incentives.

The saga has also captured attention for its spy-novel elements: luxury jets, secret hangars, encrypted communications, and high-stakes psychological games. Yet beneath the intrigue lies a broader lesson about the perils of covert operations against entrenched autocrats: no amount of persuasion or planning can fully overcome the structural and personal loyalties that protect a leader like Maduro.

Lopez’s efforts may have failed, but they reveal the lengths to which U.S. authorities are willing to go — and the complex, morally gray world in which modern geopolitical contests play out.