World : Venezuela's Acting President Promises Elections

At the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, pledged to hold elections as part of a transition towards a "full democracy." However, she did not specify a date for the upcoming vote. Rodriguez emphasized that there would be elections in Venezuela, highlighting that the government had initiated discussions with the opposition and aimed to ensure the participation of all political forces.

She further stated that national institutions were being prepared for the electoral process, proclaiming that Venezuela was undergoing a "democratic transformation for its rebirth" and a "process that is orderly, institutional, and verifiable, to build a country that is freer for all, more prosperous, and more reconciled with itself."

Venezuelan and US authorities have consistently stressed the necessity of an election, yet no specific date has been set. The opposition party insists that the appointment of an autonomous Supreme Court and National Electoral Council is crucial for organizing such elections. Some critics argue that the United States has marginalized the Venezuelan opposition, shifting focus from free elections to oil and investment agreements with the interim government.

Notably, US lawmakers have also advocated for elections, criticizing the Trump administration for not demanding significant democratic concessions from Rodriguez's administration.

While Rodriguez confirmed that "we have opened a political dialogue with opposition groups aimed at a process with equal conditions for all," the absence of Venezuela's most prominent opposition leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, from these talks was conspicuous. Machado, who left Venezuela late last year to receive her Nobel Prize, has been barred from returning to the country due to multiple rejections, leading to protests from US officials who believe her presence is vital for the recovery efforts following the catastrophic earthquakes in June.

Rodriguez met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, praising him for re-establishing dialogue with Venezuela. They discussed plans to restructure Venezuela's billions of dollars in sovereign debt and pressured Washington for political reforms. The US State Department, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reiterated that elections would be contingent upon Venezuela's economic stabilization and recovery.

Rodriguez acknowledged the need for economic recovery, noting that "this is the time to build the nation that many people want to return to," but she cautioned that such recovery would require considerable time. She appealed for international support as Venezuela moves from "a stage of uncertainty and conflict toward a stage of full democracy, recognized by its own people and the world."