U.S. intelligence drives long‑term foothold after Maduro’s capture The CIA is quietly engineering a permanent U.S. presence in Venezuela following the August capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, a move the agency views as expanding Trump‑era influence in the region [1].

Joint CIA‑State Department talks outline annex and diplomatic mission Officials from both agencies discuss a short‑term CIA annex that will precede a full diplomatic mission, assigning the State Department as the primary channel while the CIA handles the initial re‑entry amid the political transition [1].

Annex designed to enable informal contacts with Venezuelan actors The planned annex will allow U.S. officials to engage Venezuelan intelligence, government factions, and opposition figures, mirroring the CIA’s approach previously employed in Ukraine [1].

Director Ratcliffe’s visit underscores new policy direction CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Caracas, met interim President Delcy Rodríguez and senior military leaders, and warned that Venezuela can no longer serve as a safe haven for U.S. adversaries [1].

Covert CIA assets contributed to Maduro’s capture A covert CIA team embedded in Venezuela monitored Maduro’s movements, received assistance from a government source, and provided classified analysis that guided U.S. backing of Rodríguez over opposition leader María Machado [1].

State Department initiates embassy reopening steps A diplomatic and security team arrived in Caracas for an initial assessment, and veteran diplomat Laura Dogu was appointed to lead the Venezuela Affairs Unit as full‑time Chargé d’Affaires, signaling the start of embassy restoration [1].