Venezuela’s Rodríguez promises elections as part of political transition

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on Wednesday that the country would hold elections as part of what she described as a transition toward greater democracy, while announcing political and judicial reforms and talks with opposition groups.

“There will be elections in Venezuela,” Rodríguez said in an address to the UN General Assembly in New York.

She said the government had begun talks with parts of the opposition aimed at establishing equal conditions for all political forces. Rodríguez did not provide a date for the vote, saying the Venezuelan people would determine when the time was right and that state institutions were prepared to ensure an inclusive and transparent process.

Rodríguez said elections alone were not sufficient to determine the quality of a democracy, arguing that the political competition leading up to a vote was equally important. An election, she said, should offer a solution rather than generate new irreconcilable conflicts.

She described Venezuela as having embarked on a democratic transition intended to ensure the country's political renewal, calling it “an orderly, institutional, and verifiable process to build a country that is freer for all, more prosperous, and more at peace with itself.”

She also announced reforms to the justice system and pledged equal conditions for all political forces.

Rodríguez thanked US President Donald Trump and his administration for their willingness to resume diplomatic relations and cooperation with Caracas.

“Today we are working solemnly through dialogue to settle our differences,” she said, identifying energy, security, the fight against transnational crime and economic cooperation as areas for collaboration.

Rodríguez and Trump met in person for the first time on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The closed-door meeting marked a significant shift in relations between Washington and Caracas following the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. Rodríguez, who had served as Maduro’s vice president, subsequently became acting president.

Since then, Caracas and Washington have expanded cooperation, particularly in the oil sector. Rodríguez has also sought to strengthen ties with the US, while presenting the planned political transition and elections as part of Venezuela’s efforts to establish a new political framework.

By Tamilla Hasanova