CIA Chief Meets 'Interim' Venezuelan Leader After Foiled Coup
The Financial Times (ft.com) reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Venezuela's 'interim leader' Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas. This, two weeks after the US offered a $15 million bounty for Nicolás Maduro's capture. One might wonder what changed. Could it be that the grand strategy of sanctions, failed coup attempts, and declaring a puppet 'interim president' (Juan Guaidó, remember him?)
hasn't quite delivered the oil wealth Uncle Sam was anticipating? It's almost as if demonizing a sovereign nation, crippling its economy, and then sending in the spymaster to 'talk' is a well-worn playbook for maintaining 'regional stability'—or should we say, 'regional compliance.' The sudden shift from 'Maduro must go' to 'let's have a chat' certainly raises questions about the efficacy of a
foreign policy built on coercion rather than actual engagement. Perhaps if they simply sent an ambassador instead of a CIA chief, it might appear less like a hostage negotiation.