{
  "id": 9471822,
  "title": "At UN, Venezuela’s acting president promises elections without setting date",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/at-un-venezuelas-acting-president-promises-elections-without-setting",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T02:29:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3368582/un-venezuelas-interim-president-promises-elections-without-setting-date"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\"\n\nVenezuelan 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.\n\nWhile 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.\n\nRodriguez 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.\"",
  "summary": "Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the UN General Assembly, stating that the country will hold elections as part of its transition to \"full democracy\". According to Rodriguez, the government has initiated talks with the opposition and will guarantee their participation in the electoral process. National institutions are being prepared for the vote.\n\nRodriguez came to power after American forces captured then-President Nicolas Maduro in a January raid. She emphasized that Venezuela has started a process of democratic transformation, aiming to build a freer, more prosperous, and reconciled country. The government has opened a political dialogue with opposition groups, Rodriguez added.\n\nWhile Rodriguez did not provide a specific date for the elections, she made it clear that they will take place. According to RTE News, critics argue that Washington has sidelined the Venezuelan opposition, dropping demands for free elections in favor of oil and investment deals with the interim government. Some US lawmakers have also called for elections, amid criticism that the Trump administration has failed to extract meaningful democratic concessions from Rodriguez's government.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "Venezuela’s acting leader, at UN for first address, promises elections at the ‘right moment’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/venezuelas-acting-leader-at-un-for-first-address-promises-elections",
        "published": "2026-09-23T23:34:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Venezuela’s Rodriguez promises elections",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/venezuelas-rodriguez-promises-elections",
        "published": "2026-09-23T23:49:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Venezuela's interim President promises fresh elections",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/venezuelas-interim-president-promises-fresh-elections",
        "published": "2026-09-24T00:25:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "'There will be elections in Venezuela,' interim leader tells UN",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/there-will-be-elections-in-venezuela-interim-leader-tells-un",
        "published": "2026-09-24T00:49:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriguez promises elections at UN, gives no date",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/venezuelas-delcy-rodriguez-promises-elections-at-un-gives-no-date",
        "published": "2026-09-24T01:26:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Venezuela's Rodriguez promises elections in transition to 'full democracy'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/venezuelas-rodriguez-promises-elections-in-transition-to-full",
        "published": "2026-09-24T01:42:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "World : Venezuela's Acting President Promises Elections",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/world-venezuelas-acting-president-promises-elections",
        "published": "2026-09-24T04:04:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NPR",
        "title": "Venezuela's acting leader promises elections at the 'right moment'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/venezuelas-acting-leader-promises-elections-at-the-right-moment",
        "published": "2026-09-24T05:40:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}