International intrigue. An assassination plot. Millions of secret dollars . Code names. Secret meetings. - Venezuela's shadowy dealings with the first Trump administration were laid bare by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday when he testified against his longtime friend, David Rivera. - The former Miami congressman is on trial in federal court for allegedly acting as an unregistered foreign agent in a $50 million scheme. Why it matters: Rivera's trial is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Venezuela's push to manipulate the U.S. into normalizing relations by throwing around big money and promises for government reforms before Nicolas Maduro established himself as an election-rigging dictator in 2017. - Maduro's run finally came to…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to testify Tuesday in the federal trial of former U.S. Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.), a longtime political ally, friend and former housemate who's accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela's government. Why it matters: The only-in-Miami trial sheds light on the unseemly world of shadowy, big-dollar foreign influence efforts in Latin America — and underscores how politically toxic Rivera has been to Rubio's career. - Rubio asked to be called as a prosecution witness after it became clear that Rivera's team planned to call him as a defense witness — a potential embarrassment for the secretary, three sources tell Axios. Friction point: The timing of the trial comes at an extremely inconvenient…
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: Colombian businessman Alex Saab, considered a top money launderer for Nicolás Maduro, was reportedly arrested in Caracas during a joint U.S.-Venezuela operation.WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alex Saab, Nicolás Maduro, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Venezuelan authorities, and businessman Raúl Gorrín.WHEN & WHERE: Saab was captured on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in Caracas, […] The post FBI Recaptures Alex Saab, Maduro’s Top Money Launderer Released by Biden. appeared first on The National Pulse .
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Colombian businessman Alex Saab, considered a top money launderer for Nicolás Maduro, was reportedly arrested in Caracas during a joint U.S.-Venezuela operation. WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alex Saab, Nicolás Maduro, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Venezuelan authorities, and businessman Raúl Gorrín. WHEN & WHERE: Saab was captured on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela. IMPACT: Saab had initially been captured by the U.S. in 2020 , but was subsequently released by former President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner exchange with the Maduro regime. IN FULL Former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro ’s top money launderer, Alex Saab, was captured in a joint operation by the United States and…Open