Copper Intelligence Inc., the company developing the Butembo copper project, announced on April 13, 2026, that former CIA officer Enrique (Ric) Prado had joined its board of directors.

According to his public biography, Prado was born in Cuba in May 1951 and immigrated to the United States in 1962. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in the early 1970s, where he served in roles in relief operations and medical assistance before joining a special forces unit. He left the army in 1976 with the rank of sergeant and joined the CIA in 1980.

Copper Intelligence did not specify Prado’s exact operational role in its announcement.The mining project is located in the Bashu chieftaincy in North Kivu, an area regularly affected by insecurity and attacks attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Against that backdrop, Prado’s experience in security and sensitive operations could be an asset for the company.

Private Sector Background

According to available biographical information, this is not his first move into the private sector. After leaving the CIA in 2004, Prado served from 2004 to 2010 as vice president for special government programs at private security firm Blackwater, alongside its founder Erik Prince.

Prince is also active in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through Frontier Services Group, he has been involved in securing mining logistics chains, including border control, cargo monitoring and technical assistance for inspections.

On the operational side, the Butembo copper project remains at the exploration stage. According to recent company communications, a drilling campaign is under way, with initial results expected in early May 2026. That step is expected to help assess the geological potential of the site before any large-scale investment decision.

Timothée Manoke