With Maduro gone, agency shifts focus to projecting influence and evaluating leadership
By Melissa O’Rourke, Daily Caller News Foundation
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is quietly laying the groundwork for a sustained U.S. presence and intelligence infrastructure inside Venezuela as part of the Trump administration’s efforts in the country after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, CNN reported Tuesday.
Behind the scenes, officials from the CIA and the State Department have been discussing what America’s footprint inside Venezuela should look like in both the immediate aftermath of Maduro’s removal and over the long term, the outlet reported. While the State Department is expected to serve as the official diplomatic face of the U.S. in Venezuela, sources told the outlet that the intelligence agency will be relied upon heavily in the early stages of the country’s political transition.
“State plants the flag but CIA is really the influence,” one source familiar with the planning process told CNN, noting the agency’s near-term mission includes preparing the groundwork for formal diplomacy, providing security and cultivating relationships with key power brokers.