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New in SpyWeek: CIA's Venezuela Ops, Ukraine Spies' Kremlin Prank, FBI and Terror Plotters

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Jeff Stein
Jan 04, 2026
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Venezuela Crude: The Central Intelligence Agency played a pivotal role in the capture of Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro, according to several reports. The New York Times reported that the CIA “had a team on the ground beginning in August collecting information on Mr. Maduro,” and that it “also collected intelligence from a fleet of stealth drones and a human source who could get close to Mr. Maduro and monitor his movements, according to people briefed on the matter.” The Washington Post reported that the CIA “also provided support to the air, sea and land operations, according to two people familiar with the mission.”

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