-88%Fewer mentions of Maduro on state TV · State TV named Maduro 88% less often than its January-July 2026 average, per the count of state channels.
-81%Fewer mentions of Trump on state TV · Donald Trump mentions on state TV fell 81% compared with the January-July 2026 average.
Alex Saab appeared before Judge Williams in Miami and pleaded guilty to Count 1, according to the court record. The court set the sentencing hearing for January 20, 2027 and canceled the jury trial that had been scheduled.
The plea agreement, signed by Saab on August 6, 2026, was filed along with a joint government-defense factual proffer detailing the CLAP corruption scheme that Saab agrees is accurate, according to the case documents.
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Acting president Delcy Rodríguez received Paraguay's president, Santiago Peña, at Miraflores Palace on September 19, according to VTV's broadcast. Foreign ministers Félix Placencia and Rubén Ramírez Lescano signed a joint communiqué that, per VTV, seeks to rebuild diplomatic and consular channels between the two countries.
Paraguay had broken relations with Caracas in January 2025 after Peña recognized Edmundo González as the winner of the 2024 election, El Heraldo reported. Per that outlet, Peña is the second foreign head of state to visit Venezuela since Nicolás Maduro's capture by U.S. authorities in January, and the agenda included migration, trade, and a Paraguayan oil debt estimated at $300 million.
«This reaffirms both governments' will to begin a path toward rebuilding official diplomatic and consular channels.»— VTV, September 20, 2026 · watch
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The former mayor of Torres municipality, Javier Oropeza, was detained and released the same day, about 48 hours after returning to Venezuela following two years abroad, Infobae reported. Per that outlet, the detention followed an interview he gave to a local newspaper and lasted about six hours.
María Corina Machado described what happened as a kidnapping, according to Infobae. On video, Patricia Poleo said she hopes the same pressure that arose over Oropeza also appears for other political prisoners, citing a Foro Penal figure of 344 political prisoners as of September 14.
«I hope the same pressure that appeared immediately for Javier Oropeza also appears for the civilian and military political prisoners who remain detained.»— Patricia Poleo, September 19, 2026 · watch
