U.S. intelligence agency CIA is quietly working to establish a permanent on-the-ground presence in Venezuela, leading the Trump administration’s plans to assert new influence over the country’s future, CNN reported on Tuesday.
Planning discussions between the CIA and the State Department have focused on what a U.S. presence inside Venezuela would look like, both in the short and long term, following the dramatic capture of former President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.
While the State Department is expected to serve as the primary and long-term U.S. diplomatic presence in the country, the Trump administration is likely to rely heavily on the CIA to initiate the recovery process, due to the ongoing political transition and the unstable security situation in Venezuela following Maduro’s departure, sources said.
“The State Department plants the flag, but the CIA is the one that actually exercises influence,” a source familiar with the planning process told CNN, noting that the agency’s short-term objectives include laying the groundwork for diplomatic efforts, building relationships with local actors, and ensuring security.
In the short term, U.S. officials could operate from a CIA annex before a formal embassy is opened, allowing them to begin informal contacts with members of various factions within the Venezuelan government, as well as opposition figures, and to identify third parties that could pose a threat, the source said, drawing comparisons to the agency’s work in Ukraine.
“Establishing an annex is the number one priority. Before diplomatic channels are in place, the annex can help build communication links—particularly with Venezuelan intelligence services—enabling conversations that diplomats cannot have,” said a former U.S. government official who has worked with Venezuelan counterparts.
The United States has frequently sent CIA directors or senior intelligence officials to hold sensitive meetings with world leaders to discuss delicate matters based on U.S. intelligence assessments.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was the first senior Trump administration official to visit Venezuela following the operation against Maduro, meeting earlier this month with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and military leaders in the country.
