CIA plants permanent flag in Venezuela after Maduro's capture of American

The CIA is establishing a permanent presence in Venezuela following the U.S. military capture of President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, 2026, according to CNN sources. One source said: State plants the flag but CIA is really the influence.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Caracas in early Jan. 2026 to meet the interim president, DRDelcy Rodríguez, and senior military leaders. He conveyed that Venezuela could no longer serve as a safe haven for China, Russia, and Iran.

The CIA covertly inserted a small team into Venezuela in Aug. 2025 to monitor Maduro's movements. Their intelligence was critical to the Jan. 3 operation that captured Maduro, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve.

A classified CIA assessment briefed to President Trump shaped the decision to back Vice President DRDelcy Rodríguez rather than opposition leader MCMaría Corina Machado. The assessment concluded Maduro regime figures could maintain short-term stability.

Trump has publicly said the U.S. would run Venezuela temporarily until a judicious transition could take place. However, administration officials say broader long-term goals remain unclear.

The State Department withdrew all diplomatic personnel from the Caracas embassy in 2019. Limited teams have recently returned to assess the feasibility of reopening the embassy.

The U.S. operation captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores using Delta Force, with on-the-ground intelligence provided by the CIA. They were transported to 🗽New York and arraigned on narcoterrorism charges on Jan. 5, 2026.