The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the United States, John Ratcliffe, has emphasized his agency's crucial involvement in the military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. This background gains significance amid Washington's recent call for secret collaboration from Cubans with U.S. intelligence services.
An article published on Friday by The Atlantic, penned by Shane Harris, highlights Ratcliffe's increasing influence over national security decisions in the Trump administration and his commitment to revitalizing clandestine operations as a primary tool for the CIA.
In a June speech, Ratcliffe asserted that, "thanks to the CIA," U.S. special forces managed to locate and apprehend Maduro less than four minutes after landing at Venezuela's largest military complex.
This statement was not merely an institutional claim. Investigations by Reuters and The New York Times revealed that since August 2025, the CIA had deployed a small clandestine team in Venezuela and maintained a source within the Chavista government. This insider helped track Maduro's movements and pinpoint his location.
The intelligence gathered, combined with aerial surveillance and meticulous monitoring of Maduro's routines, was pivotal for the January 3 operation, which ended with his capture alongside Cilia Flores.
Ratcliffe's Strategy and Influence
Reuters also identified Ratcliffe as part of a select group of key officials, including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and Stephen Miller, who spent months crafting the U.S. strategy toward Venezuela.
According to The Atlantic, Ratcliffe has reinstated the CIA's central role in advising the president and has driven covert and paramilitary operations, making these sectors among the most active within the agency.
Ratcliffe used Maduro's capture to issue a warning to Havana. The Venezuelan precedent is not merely a comparison of scenarios. Ratcliffe personally conveyed this during his visit to Cuba on May 14, when he met with top officials of the regime's security apparatus.
Engaging Cuba: A New Phase
An Axios report, citing a CIA official, revealed that Ratcliffe urged his Cuban counterparts to learn from the U.S. operation that toppled Maduro.
Participants in that meeting included the Minister of the Interior, Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas; the head of Cuban intelligence; and Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," a figure linked to discreet contacts with Washington.
Ratcliffe conveyed that the U.S. was open to negotiating economic and security issues, but any agreement depended on fundamental changes in Cuba.
A CIA official warned that the opportunity for an agreement would not remain open indefinitely and that Trump would seek other methods to enforce his demands if talks failed.
Public Appeal for Cuban Cooperation
Five months later, under Ratcliffe's leadership, the CIA has transitioned to openly seeking collaboration from Cuban citizens, in a campaign launched on Friday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and later supported by the U.S. Southern Command.
The CIA issued a Spanish-language message directed at those eager to initiate political change on the island, inviting them to form a "discreet partnership" with U.S. intelligence services.
The agency also released a guide for confidential contact and requested potential collaborators to provide information about their jobs and access to sensitive data.
Commander of SOUTHCOM, General Francis L. Donovan, reinforced the CIA's message, urging Cubans to seize the moment to create the change they desire, while the State Department publicly endorsed the campaign.
This initiative follows months of discussions between Washington and Cuban regime representatives, who have repeatedly refused to negotiate changes to the political system, the Communist Party's leading role, or the holding of multiparty elections.
The U.S. government has also considered identifying interlocutors within Cuba's power structure, partially emulating the Venezuelan model where Delcy Rodríguez assumed interim presidency after Maduro's capture.
Trump has not ruled out a similar operation in Cuba. In a June interview with Axios, he responded, "Possibly. It's possible," when asked if a potential U.S. action against the island might unfold like the one in Venezuela.
The combination of diplomatic pressure, internal contact exploration, intelligence operations, and military planning leaves Washington with several options, though there is no public confirmation of a decision for military intervention.
The prominence Ratcliffe has gained in the Trump administration, as described by The Atlantic, places the CIA director at the heart of this strategy.
The same agency whose intelligence enabled Maduro's capture is now seeking collaborators within a Cuban regime that Ratcliffe has personally warned about the repercussions of ignoring the Venezuelan precedent.
Understanding CIA's Efforts in Cuba
What role did the CIA play in capturing Nicolás Maduro?
The CIA played a crucial role by deploying a clandestine team in Venezuela and having an insider within the Chavista government, which helped track Maduro's movements and coordinate his capture.
How is the CIA engaging with Cubans currently?
The CIA has launched a public campaign inviting Cuban citizens to form discreet partnerships with U.S. intelligence to promote political change on the island.
What conditions has the U.S. set for negotiations with Cuba?
The U.S. has conditioned any agreements on fundamental changes within Cuba, including potential reforms to the political system and the role of the Communist Party.
Is military intervention in Cuba being considered by the U.S.?
While there is no public confirmation of a decision for military intervention, the U.S. is exploring multiple options, including intelligence operations and diplomatic pressure, to address the situation in Cuba.