S10 Ep25: Espresso Martini Maduro’s Capture, America’s Role Abroad, and Aldrich Ames’ Infamy

The U.S. capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro marks one of the most consequential unilateral actions Washington has taken in the Western Hemisphere in decades. Chris and Matt unpack what actually happened, why it matters, and how this operation tests long-standing assumptions about sovereignty, precedent, and America’s role abroad—especially in a world where rivals are watching closely. They then turn to the death of Aldrich Ames, reflecting on how the CIA’s most damaging traitor reshaped U.S. intelligence, shattered trust from the inside, and still serves as a cautionary tale about institutional blind spots, complacency, and the enduring cost of betrayal.

You can listen to S10 Ep25: Espresso Martini Maduro’s Capture, America’s Role Abroad, and Aldrich Ames’ Infamy online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

S10 Ep25: Espresso Martini Maduro’s Capture, America’s Role Abroad, and Aldrich Ames’ Infamy is an episode from Secrets & Spies.

This episode is 76:50 long.

This episode was published on Jan 11, 2026.

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