US officials said Ratcliffe conveyed the Trump administration’s support for the interim government as a path to short-term stability in Venezuela.
At Trump’s direction, Ratcliffe delivered a message that Washington seeks an improved working relationship, they said. Talks included intelligence cooperation, economic stability, and efforts to keep Venezuela from serving as a haven for “US adversaries, particularly narcotics traffickers,” one official said on condition of anonymity.
According to the report, American officials view Rodriguez, who assumed the interim presidency after Maduro’s removal, as a stabilizing figure capable of maintaining control of security forces and key infrastructure during the transition. US intelligence assessments have described her as pragmatic and open to engagement.