Maria Corina Machado, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, has called for the holding of presidential elections in the country next year. According to reports published by the Financial Times on Friday, Machado stated that there is “more than enough time” to prepare for a vote scheduled for July.
Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, emphasized that achieving a sustainable political transition requires transforming Venezuela into a stable democracy. She told the newspaper that both the United States government and the Venezuelan people agree that the only way to ensure sustainability and achieve a genuine victory is through this democratic shift.
Her statements come amid increasing diplomatic activity from Washington regarding the future of the political process in Venezuela. President Donald Trump announced last week that he had discussed the election file with Delcy Rodriguez, the country’s interim president. During a press briefing at the White House, Trump confirmed he spoke with Rodriguez about the elections but provided no further details on the specific topics discussed.
Rodriguez met briefly with Trump last Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings. She praised the resumption of dialogue between Washington and Caracas. This meeting marks Rodriguez’s first visit to the United States since US forces arrested former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a military operation in January.
In a related development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated days ago that Trump and Rodriguez discussed restructuring Venezuela’s sovereign debt, which amounts to billions of dollars. Rubio added that Washington has exerted pressure to push for political change in the country. Issues such as the management of oil resources, debt, and the future of the political system remain central files in the relationship between the two nations.
Machado continues to advocate for elections that lead to a democratic transition, stressing the necessity of ensuring transparency in the management of oil revenues. This demand comes against the backdrop of an increasingly prominent US role in handling the Venezuelan file, particularly concerning the oversight of oil sales proceeds.
