Business26 September, 20262 min read
Delcy Rodríguez Promises Elections In Venezuela, Gives No Date At UN
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Delcy Rodríguez said Venezuela will hold elections as part of a transition to full democracy. She avoided setting a vote date, leaving timing to Venezuelans.
52 outlets told this the same way.
Elections, but no date
Delcy Rodríguez told the UN General Assembly that elections will be held in Venezuela as part of a transition to “full democracy,” while she did not give a specific date for the vote. Rodríguez said her government has started a “political dialogue with opposition sectors” to secure a “process based on equal conditions for all,” and she said Venezuela’s institutions “will be prepared to guarantee an inclusive and transparent process” when the time comes.
Elections in Venezuela may be postponed until at least the end of 2027, with five sources close to the government and opposition and political analysts attributing the delay to the need to reform the judicial system and electoral bodies. Elections in Venezuela may be postponed until at least the end of 2027, with five sources close to the government and opposition and political analysts attributing the delay to the need to reform the judicial system and electoral bodies.
Talks, opposition, and U.S.
Rodríguez said she would guarantee opposition participation through a process where everyone will compete on an equal footing, and she framed the transition as “an orderly, institutional and verifiable” path toward a freer country. María Corina Machado is not participating in talks with the interim government and her attempts to return to the country have so far been unsuccessful.
Phil Gunson of the International Crisis Group said Rodríguez’s pledge was a “statement of the obvious,” and he argued that while the constitution mandates a 2030 vote, the government has not committed to the 2027 timeline sought by the opposition. Marco Rubio said the United States pressed for political change and that “for this project to be successful, it culminates in a free and fair election,” while the United States has said Venezuela must first stabilize and recover economically before elections can take place.
What is at stake next
U.S. officials say the political transition must go hand in hand with ensuring economic and social stability, and Marco Rubio warned that a sharp deterioration in conditions after a new leader is elected could jeopardize the entire process. Rodríguez told the UN that national institutions are being prepared for the electoral process, and she said Venezuela’s people will determine the “right moment” for elections to get moving.
Institutional changes are being discussed as part of U.S.-backed talks between Rodríguez’s interim government and some opposition groups, but replacing the electoral council alone will not be enough. The authorities would need to update voter rolls, ensure all parties can participate, and decide how voting will be conducted, manually or electronically, with Oswaldo Martínez of the Caracas-based ORS consultancy estimating election preparations alone could take up to a year.