CIA Director Meets Venezuela's Acting President to Discuss Cooperation Post-Maduro Capture

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas on January 15, 2026, marking the highest-level U.S. engagement since former President Nicolás Maduro's capture. The discussions, reportedly encouraged by President Donald Trump, focused on intelligence sharing, anti-narcotics efforts, economic cooperation, and preventing adversaries' return. Rodríguez advocated for foreign investment in Venezuela's oil sector amid ongoing U.S. efforts to stabilize the country post-Maduro.