CIA Director John Ratcliffe Meets with Venezuela’s Acting President
On Thursday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe held discussions with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, in Caracas, according to a U.S. official. The official noted that during the meeting, Ratcliffe addressed prospects for economic collaboration and highlighted Venezuela’s diminished status as a safe haven for America’s adversaries, particularly narcotraffickers.
“During the meeting in Caracas, Director Ratcliffe discussed potential opportunities for economic collaboration and that Venezuela can no longer be a safe haven for America’s adversaries, especially narcotraffickers,” the official said.
The meeting, initially reported by the New York Times, coincides with President Trump’s increasing influence over Venezuela, particularly its oil sector. Trump has declared the U.S. will effectively “run” the country after securing the capture of Nicolás Maduro earlier in the month.
Trump has publicly endorsed Rodríguez, a long-standing figure within the Venezuelan regime, over opposition leader María Corina Machado, who also met with the president on Thursday and presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal.
Administration Assures No Regime Change
Following Maduro’s capture, Trump administration officials assured lawmakers during a briefing that the action was not aimed at regime change, as the Venezuelan government remains largely intact and is now led by Rodríguez, Maduro’s former deputy, sources previously told CNN.
“The move was not a regime change operation since the Venezuelan government remains largely intact and is now led by Rodríguez,” officials stated.
The decision to support Rodríguez over Machado was influenced by a classified CIA analysis evaluating the effects of Maduro’s removal from power and the short-term consequences of his potential ouster, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The tightly controlled intelligence report was initiated by senior policymakers, and the CIA is anticipated to continue offering similar assessments on Venezuela’s leadership dynamics in the future, multiple sources added.
CIA’s Role in Maduro’s Capture
The CIA was actively involved in the operation to capture Maduro. In August, the agency deployed a covert team within Venezuela to monitor his movements and activities, aiding the mission earlier this month, sources close to the plans revealed to CNN.
“The assets included a CIA source operating within the Venezuelan government who assisted the United States with tracking Maduro’s location and movements ahead of his capture,” a source briefed on the operation explained.
Ratcliffe’s meeting with Rodríguez was intended to foster trust, the U.S. official clarified, underscoring the director’s focus on human intelligence gathering and his goal to reduce the agency’s risk aversion in operational strategies.
