CIA director traveled to Venezuela to meet with country’s acting president

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas on Thursday, according to a US official.

“During the meeting in Caracas, Director Ratcliffe discussed potential opportunities for economic collaboration and that Venezuela can no longer be a safe haven for America’s adversaries, especially narcotraffickers,” the official said.

The meeting was meant to build trust, according to the official, and reflects Ratcliffe wanting the CIA to be less risk-averse.

The meeting comes as Trump has asserted control over Venezuela, particularly its oil production, saying the US will effectively “run” the country following its capture of Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.

Trump has shown support for Rodríguez, a longtime regime insider, over opposition leader María Corina Machado, who met with the president on Thursday.

Both Rodríguez and Machado are fighting for Trump’s favor, and Machado even gifted Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal during their meeting.

The meeting between Ratcliffe and Rodríguez was first reported by the New York Times.