Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez

political risk and commercial diplomacy | @campusb and @harvard | views my own

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

My latest op-ed in The @pbpost. It argues Venezuela’s democratic moment has a “key man” problem.

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

La “mejor universidad de Venezuela.” Eso es indiscutible.

[Francisco J. Monaldi @fmonaldi]

Lo que hizo el chavismo con la Universidad Simón Bolivar es vergonzoso. La mejor universidad de Venezuela y una de las mejores escuelas de ingenieros de Latinoamérica quedó en ruinas. Diezmaron a las mejores universidades públicas, pero con la USB se ensañaron por odio a la excelencia y meritocracia.

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

Flawless op-ed by Leopoldo Lopez. “Delcy Rodríguez Invades My Home” https://t.co/n8HRQvIkzL

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

https://t.co/h2pw1xoAHC

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

Admittedly, I have been reading @Peggynoonannyc for just over a decade, but today’s column is the best I’ve read. If there ever was a well-deserved honorary degree, this is it. Congratulations. What a remarkable story.

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

My contribution on Cuba in today's
@WSJopinion https://t.co/x8Q0akBrwH

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

@AlexCTaliadoros Fair, but why WMATA has 1,000 more employees while completing 100 million fewer trips than in the past. Seems like a problem tbh

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

@wmataGM @BarredinDC Understand and appreciate your role. But clearly can only block and tackle, 1000 more employees for 100 million less trips? Genuinely curious as to why this is the case. Care to illustrate the public? Thanks! 🙏

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

Sobre J.L.R Zapatero, escribí en @InstitutoCato en 2017

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

@brhodes Ben, if you are such a democracy advocate, why keep carrying water for Havana? You insist on dictatorship laundering. So bad! Your “deal” did nothing for Cuba.

[Caracas Chronicles @CaracasChron]

The Film on Alex Saab that Maduro Really, Really Doesn’t Want You to Watch

👇
https://t.co/othK4yAYmt

[Ian Vasquez @VasquezIan]

Escribí esta columna con emoción.
https://t.co/LaqjDX3Gzd

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

@marykissel Pls do

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

What I expect for next week’s Trump-Xi summit https://t.co/bOh1Vslfog

[María Corina Machado @MariaCorinaYA]

The Venezuelan regime inflicts unspeakable horror on millions of families.

This is the tragic story of Carmen and Víctor Hugo Quero. They must get justice.

Free ALL political prisoners now before any more die.

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

@paulnovosad @JessicaBRiedl tbh pangram isn't much better. @jamestaranto wrote about it on WSJ

https://t.co/1Z9CUDfEi0

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

Pls fix @Reuters

[Guillermo Arcay Finlay @GuillermoArcayF]

El BCV publicó la base monetaria al 24 de abril, mostrando una expansión de 13% en una semana. A alguien no le gustó el número y lo borraron.

[Martin Rodriguez y Rodriguez @MartinRodRodr]

How long before Mario Silva gets deep-sixed?

[Sadio Garavini di Turno @sadiocaracas]

El futuro de Venezuela está en manos de Marco Rubio https://t.co/NUqZJcOltW

[Catherine Herridge @C__Herridge]

EXCLUSIVE: Whistleblowers Seeking $50 Million ‘Reward For Justice’ After Capture of Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro Give First Interview and Release 2026 Affidavit Detailing Specific Intelligence They Say Led To Successful Raid

This week on Straight to the Point, I sat down for an exclusive first interview with two former DEA agents with more than 40 years of combined experience in the global drug wars.

Wesley Tabor, and an undercover agent we agreed to call “Mack,” revealed how their source network infiltrated “every node” of the Maduro regime and delivered vital intelligence to DEA, Delta Operators and others that, they say, directly contributed to the dictator’s capture.

The Rewards for Justice Program falls under the U.S. State Department.

Affidavits and other records independently reviewed by our team detail how sources provided the US government with bunker schematics, underground tunnels, convoy photographs, offensive military bases, escape aircraft tail numbers, gold stockpiles, and even key movements of Maduro and his spiritual advisor.

Wesley and “Mack” say this information was extracted from Venezuela using unconventional methods such as commercial “entertainment” platforms and at great risk to their sources.

Now four months since the historic raid in Venezuela, they say they have received no response on their $50 million ‘Rewards for Justice’ claim which would help their sources begin new lives. Currently, Wes and “Mack” said the sources, and their families, including children are being hunted down and their lives threatened.

If the Rewards for Justice Program does not pay for credible leads and tips, Wes and Mack said it will discourage other sources from cooperating and supporting future US operations.

We reached out to six government agencies directly involved in the Maduro raid. We heard back from two. A spokesperson for the CIA and a spokesperson for the Department of War referred our questions to either the Justice Department, State Department or White House.

00:35 Sources “100% Confident” intelligence led to successful capture of Nicolas Maduro and saved lives

01:20 Former undercover DEA operative 'Mack'

02:00 Decision to Come Forward

02:23 Intel on Maduro’s convoy, security detail, routes, weapons, military, maps, underground tunnels and bunkers

03:14 Underground tunnels: schematics for plumbing, water grid and dimensions, thickness bunker as well as concrete reinforcement

03:55 Source network saw opportunity to take their country back

04:18 Motivated by patriotism and US promise of $50 million dollar reward

05:10 Sources in “every node” Maduro government

05:55 September 2025 meeting brokered with DEA Administrator who assigned DEA agents, contact established with Delta Force representative

06:30 Source information filled “gaps” in US intelligence gathering

07:18 Unconventional methods such as “entertainment” platforms used to get information out of Venezuela

07:48 October 2025 major development in DEA's role

10:09 Key intelligence: Maduro’s spiritual advisor and underground tunnel network

11:35 Maduro’s escape plan: Moving dollars, euros and gold

12:50 Whistleblowers: Some sources killed in Delta raid

14:03 President Trump and Secretary Rubio on who gets $50 million reward

14:48 Team and sources seek $50 million reward: “We heard nothing” from US government

14:58 Retired @GenFlynn was told the DEA Administrator “would look into it,” but no response since

15:45 Whistleblowers deny it's a money grab

16:15 Rewards for Justice program concerns

17:33 Maduro sources and their families are being “hunted down”

17:48 For US military, it's a "ground ball" to ensure the safety of the sources

18:14 Response from US government agencies

@thelatmg @latimesstudios_