CIA Director John Ratcliffe brought a paramilitary operative involved in a mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro when he traveled to Havana last week for meetings with senior Cuban officials, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The inclusion of the covert operator in Ratcliffe's diplomatic delegation represents an unusual move, as such personnel typically remain behind the scenes in intelligence operations rather than participating in high-level diplomatic engagements.

Ratcliffe's visit to Cuba marked a significant diplomatic engagement between the United States and the island nation, though specific details about the discussions with Cuban officials have not been publicly disclosed.

The presence of the operative suggests the Cuba meetings may have involved discussions related to Venezuelan affairs or broader regional security matters, given the operator's previous involvement in missions targeting the Venezuelan leader.

Neither the CIA nor Cuban officials have provided public comment on the specifics of the meeting or the composition of the American delegation that traveled to Havana.