The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated this Wednesday that Washington aims for the Venezuelan transition to lead not only to free and fair elections but also to a “lasting republic” supported by a functioning economy that can generate stability.
During the appearance, Rubio addressed the political and economic future of Venezuela and explained that the country’s recovery must progress in parallel with institutional reconstruction and the process toward free and fair elections.
Among economic matters, the Secretary of State confirmed that President Donald Trump and the acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, discussed the restructuring of Venezuela's debt during their meeting in New York.
«What we want to see is not only free and fair elections, but also a lasting republic», Rubio explained to reporters, warning that a democratically elected government could face serious difficulties if it inherits a deeply deteriorated economic and social situation.
The head of U.S. diplomacy stated that Washington aims to progress simultaneously on two fronts: economic recovery and the reconstruction of the institutional conditions necessary to hold free and fair elections.
"We want to help them rebuild their economy, not perfectly, but to a level of stability that allows an elected government to succeed," he stated.
Rubio pointed out that a key part of this process will be the restructuring of Venezuelan debt, one of the issues discussed in the meeting between Trump and Rodríguez.
«There is much to fix for Venezuela to succeed. We talked about the steps that still need to be taken to achieve this. The restructuring of the debt is key», he noted.
The official assured that the United States wants to collaborate in that process, although he emphasized that "it must be done the right way."
Venezuela announced in May that it would begin to restructure its sovereign debt and that of the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), after remaining in default since 2017.
Similarly, the sovereign bonds and those of PDVSA currently in arrears amount to approximately $60 billion, while estimates from analysts place Venezuela's total obligations between $150 billion and $200 billion, including accrued interest, other claims, and arbitration awards.
On the other hand, Rubio described the meeting between Trump and Rodríguez in New York as "brief but significant" and emphasized that the economic recovery must progress alongside the political transition.
"There must be a political transition process, which is already underway," affirmed the Secretary of State.
According to Rubio, leaders associated with the National Assembly elected in 2015 are maintaining regular conversations with the interim authorities to create the necessary conditions to rebuild Venezuelan institutions.
Among the elements that Washington considers essential, Rubio mentioned the existence of media able to inform freely, candidates who can address the population, organized political parties, and electoral authorities that generate trust in the counting and publication of votes.
The secretary also stated that many political leaders remain outside the country and need conditions to reorganize their parties.
"It's not just about María Corina, who is a very brave woman. There are other people who are outside," she noted.
Rubio had already stated at the beginning of September that certain institutional guarantees need to be rebuilt prior to holding elections, as part of the transition process that Washington claims to be promoting in Venezuela.
For the Secretary of State, economic stability is also essential to prevent a potential new government from inheriting a country in a situation that could jeopardize the transition itself.
"What would threaten a lasting republic in Venezuela is if someone were elected and inherited a complete economic and social catastrophe," he stated.
The rapprochement between Washington and Caracas has accelerated in recent months.
At the end of August, the United States and Venezuela announced a broad agreement related to the development of Venezuelan oil reserves, another component of the economic recovery strategy promoted by the Trump Administration.
Filed under: