_WHAT’S HAPPENING_
The CIA is working to establish a permanent footprint inside Venezuela following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month, according to multiple sources familiar with the planning. While the State Department will serve as the official diplomatic face of the US in the country, the Trump administration is leaning heavily on the intelligence agency during Venezuela's political transition.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was the first senior Trump administration official to visit Venezuela after Maduro's ousting, meeting with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and military leaders. The agency's near-term objectives include laying the groundwork for formal diplomacy and cultivating relationships with key power players across Venezuela's political spectrum.
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