Josh Goodman, who oversaw AP’s coverage in the Andes for six years, jumped back into his old beat when Trump deployed troops and warships to the Caribbean over the summer in what seemed a veiled attempt to force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.
Reconnecting with an old source from his days in Caracas, he caught the first inklings of the secret plan to recruit Maduro’s pilot to carry out a high-risk capture of the strongman. That led him onto the scent of a federal agent who had led an investigation seizing Maduro’s planes. U.S. officials described a plan that had all the elements of a mad Cold War thriller — luxury private jets, a secret meeting at a hangar, high-stakes diplomacy and the delicate wooing of a key Maduro lieutenant.
Judges were impressed by Goodman’s deep connections, coupled with an engaging narrative that elevated the story.
For a blend of deep reporting and writing, Josh Goodman is this week’s BOTW first winner.
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