In a covert operation that involved spies, drones, and blowtorches, the United States successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s close ally, Alex Saab, in Cape Verde. The operation was executed on Tuesday night by a team of US special forces working in conjunction with local authorities. Saab, who is wanted by the US on money laundering charges, was arrested at the request of Washington.
The US Department of State released a statement acknowledging the operation and praising the cooperation between the US and Cape Verdean authorities. They emphasized that Saab’s arrest is a significant step in combating corruption and holding accountable those who attempt to exploit the financial system for their gain.
Maduro’s government, on the other hand, condemned the operation as a flagrant violation of international law and Cape Verde’s sovereignty. They accused the US of engaging in illegal and aggressive actions to undermine their administration. Maduro’s regime called for Saab’s immediate release and vowed to pursue all legal avenues to secure his freedom.
Saab, a Colombian businessman with close ties to Maduro, has been a key figure in Venezuela’s controversial food subsidy program. The US alleges that he has been involved in money laundering and has used his position to siphon off funds from this program for personal gain.
The capture of Saab is expected to escalate tensions between the US and Venezuela, already strained due to the US’s support for opposition leader Juan Guaidó. This development could have far-reaching implications for the political dynamics in the region.
Sources Analysis:
US Department of State: The US Department of State has a diplomatic bias favoring US interests. In this situation, their goal is to highlight the successful capture of Saab and emphasize the US’s commitment to fighting corruption.
Maduro’s government: Maduro’s government has a history of anti-US rhetoric and is likely to spin the capture of Saab as an illegal and aggressive act by the US to discredit their administration and gain sympathy domestically and internationally.
Fact Check:
The capture of Alex Saab in Cape Verde – Verified facts. This information has been confirmed by multiple sources and is widely reported.
Saab’s ties to Nicolás Maduro – Unconfirmed claims. While there are allegations of Saab’s close relationship with Maduro, the extent of their ties may vary depending on the source.
Saab’s involvement in money laundering – Unconfirmed claims. The accusations of money laundering against Saab have not been independently verified.
—
Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Spies, drones and blowtorches: How the US captured Maduro”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.