CIA Director Ratcliffe Meets Venezuela’s Interim President as Trump Shifts Policy

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a high-profile visit to Caracas this week, meeting directly with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez in a move that signals a major pivot in the Trump administration’s policy toward the post-Maduro regime.

According to a senior U.S. official, Ratcliffe’s meeting focused on building trust, tackling drug trafficking, and exploring future economic cooperation between the United States and the new Venezuelan government. Rodríguez took control of the country after U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro in early January.

“At President Trump’s direction, Director Ratcliffe traveled to Venezuela to meet with interim President Delcy Rodríguez to deliver the message that the United States looks forward to an improved working relationship,” the official stated.

The two-hour meeting reportedly emphasized one non-negotiable point: Venezuela must stop acting as a safe haven for America’s enemies, particularly the cartels and traffickers that flourished under Maduro. Ratcliffe stressed the importance of cracking down on the notorious Tren de Aragua and other violent trafficking networks.

The meeting follows a CIA strike on a Venezuelan port earlier this month that U.S. officials said was being used to funnel narcotics into North America. It also comes on the heels of a controversial oil-for-equipment deal Trump announced with Venezuela’s transitional government, which would allow the country to export up to 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude to the U.S. in exchange for American agricultural, medical, and infrastructure supplies.

Despite past ties to Maduro, Rodríguez has been in direct contact with Trump and appears to have won his support. She spoke with the president by phone the day before Ratcliffe’s visit. Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado met with Trump in person at the White House and presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal for his role in aiding Venezuela’s liberation.

“Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect,” Trump said. “Thank you, María!”

While the administration has committed to supporting future democratic elections in Venezuela, President Trump has said they won’t be rushed.

“We have to fix the country first,” Trump told reporters. “There’s no way the people could even vote. No, it’s going to take a period of time. We have to nurse the country back to health.”