Marco Rubio Gives Update on Venezuela Election Timing
Rubio told Newsweek Venezuela's return to elections remains a work in progress, with the transition taking months, not years.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Venezuela's election timeline and the conditions required for a democratic transition during a meeting with Paraguayan Vice President Pedro Alliana in Washington, D.C. Rubio stated that the process would take several months and weeks, rather than years, to complete, noting that the country had been under one-party rule for nearly three decades.
He emphasized the need for a free press, multi-party participation, national reconciliation, and an accurate electoral commission to count votes. Rubio noted that while the U.S. administration was pursuing both political and economic tracks, progress on both fronts had been slow. He compared the current situation to post-Cold War transitions in Eastern Europe and Paraguay, which took almost 3.5 years to complete.
Despite the delay in expected results, Rubio expressed optimism about the positive direction of the transition, even if the pace was slower than desired. The Secretary also highlighted that Venezuelans continued to express high levels of support for foreign investment and trust in the United States, with 84% viewing it favorably and 68% trusting Trump's administration.
Opposition figures echoed Rubio's cautious optimism, emphasizing the importance of patience and democratic progress in Venezuela.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
