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CIA Director Ratcliffe Meets Venezuela’s Acting President in Caracas

The trip signals a two-track U.S. approach that pairs engagement with interim authorities with outreach to the opposition.

CARACAS, VENEZUELA - JANUARY 15: Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez speaks during the delivery of the first year's government report at Palacio Federal Legislativo on January 15, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela. Delcy Rodriguez delivers a report of the economic, social, and political aspects and situation in Venezuela during 2025. Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as President of Venezuela for a third consecutive term in January 2025. US forces captured Maduro and his wife, Ciliia Flores, on January 3, 2026. (Photo by Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
CIA Director John Ratcliffe shakes hands with Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodriguez | CIA
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez addresses the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrives at the U.S. Capitol Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Washington, to brief top lawmakers after President Donald Trump directed U.S. forces to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Overview

  • At President Trump's direction, John Ratcliffe held a two-hour meeting with Delcy Rodríguez to convey that Washington seeks an improved working relationship.
  • A U.S. official said talks centered on intelligence cooperation, economic collaboration, and ending Venezuela’s role as a haven for narcotraffickers, including Tren de Aragua.
  • The visit is the most senior U.S. contact since the Jan. 3 operation that removed Nicolás Maduro, who remains in U.S. custody on drug-related charges.
  • The same day, opposition leader María Corina Machado met Trump at the White House and presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal, highlighting parallel outreach to the opposition.
  • In a parliamentary address, Rodríguez asserted Venezuela’s sovereign right to global ties and said any future Washington visit would be made “standing tall,” as her government signals openness to economic arrangements.