CIA Director John Ratcliffe held discussions with Venezuela’s interim leader in Caracas to enhance cooperation, a U.S. official confirmed on Friday. This represents the highest-ranking visit by an American official following the recent removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
During the meeting on Thursday with Delcy Rodríguez, Ratcliffe conveyed a message from U.S. President Donald Trump expressing eagerness for an improved working relationship. The talks covered areas such as intelligence collaboration, economic stability, and the necessity to ensure that Venezuela ceases to be a sanctuary for adversaries, particularly drug traffickers.
The visit coincided with Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump at the White House on the same day. Despite deploying troops to oust Maduro, Washington refrained from explicitly endorsing the opposition to assume power, despite previously acknowledging Machado’s ally as the rightful winner of the 2024 election.
Rodríguez, who assumed the presidency on an interim basis after the U.S. military apprehended Maduro and transferred him to the U.S. for drug-related charges, also discussed the visit with Trump by telephone. The dialogue was termed positive by both leaders, with Rodriguez having previously criticized the U.S. for the actions against Maduro.
Regarding the discussions with Ratcliffe, it was emphasized that building trust between the U.S. and Venezuela was a primary focus. The official highlighted the necessity for Venezuela to discontinue backing criminal groups like Tren de Aragua, commonly known as TDA.
The Ratcliffe visit was initially reported by The New York Times. The White House has not responded immediately to requests for comment from Reuters.
