Less than 15 days after Maduro's capture, Delcy Rodríguez received in Caracas the CIA director while insisting that she will not submit to the US

The director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, traveled Thursday to Caracas to meet with Delcy Rodriguez, who serves as Venezuela's interim president, and with members of the apparatus of power that remain in control of the country, a U.S. government source confirmed to Reuters. The meeting represents one of the highest-level contacts between Washington and Caracas in the midst of a transition marked by the permanence of structures of the old regime and by the lack of democratic legitimacy recognized by the United States.

According to a U.S. official, Ratcliffe held the meeting under direct instructions from President Donald Trump with the objective of conveying Washington's expectation of moving towards a more effective working relationship, despite the complex Venezuelan political reality.

During the meeting, issues related to intelligence sharing, economic stability and the need to ensure that Venezuela does not continue to be used as a safe haven by U.S. adversaries, particularly networks linked to drug trafficking, one of the main concerns of national securityfor the White House.

Direct contact with Trump

Ratcliffe's visit came just days after President Trump publicly confirmed a phone call with Rodriguez. The president described that exchange as positive and affirmed that progress is being made as the United States supports efforts to stabilize and recover Venezuela.

According to Trump, during the conversation, topics such as oil, minerals, trade and national security were discussed, and he expressed optimism about an eventual collaboration between both countries, always under the premise of safeguarding US strategic interests.

Practical cooperation and sovereignty discourse

The meeting with the CIA director took place while Rodriguez publicly maintains a discourse of rejection of any form of political subordination to the United States. That line has been reiterated by the current Venezuelan authorities even at times when there have been direct contacts with the highest levels of the U.S. political and security apparatus.