CIA chief meets new Venezuelan leader, warns country to stop consorting with cartels and US enemies

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a surprise visit to meet Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, opening a new era of relations while bluntly warning the Latin American country it can no longer consort with drug cartels or America’s adversaries, officials disclosed Friday.Just the News obtained three CIA photos of Ratcliffe’s visit with Rodriguez, including one of the U.S. spy chief shaking hands with the Venezuelan leader dressed in a bright lime-colored pant suit and sneakers. The two shook with their left hands.
It was the highest-ranking U.S. visit to Venezuela in years and came just 12 days after President Donald Trump authorized a mission that arrested and extradited former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, an avowed socialist enemy of the United States, to face drug trafficking charges in America.
U.S. officials said Ratcliffe’s two-hour conversation Thursday with Rodriquez was warm but candid, building on recent cooperation since Maduro’s ouster that includes large shipments of Venezuelan oil to the United States.
The director specifically demanded Venezuela end any support for the brutal drug gang Tren de Aragua, the officials said.
“At President Trump’s direction, Director Ratcliffe traveled to Venezuela to meet with interim President Delcy Rodriguez to deliver the message that the United States looks forward to an improved working relationship,” a U.S. official said in a statement to Just the News.
“During the meeting in Caracas, Director Ratcliffe discussed potential opportunities for economic collaboration and made clear that Venezuela can no longer be a safe haven for America’s adversaries, especially narco-traffickers,” the official added.
Trump personally authorized Ratcliffe’s visit, and the CIA director took a small team of officials with him.
“This was about trust-building measures and laying the groundwork for continued communication and room for collaboration between the two governments,” an official explained. “The CIA director made it clear that Venezuela can no longer provide support to drug trafficking organizations, including Tren de Aragua.”

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