The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, promised this Thursday that the country will hold elections organized by a reformed electoral body, but without setting any specific schedule or mechanism to make it a reality.
In a speech broadcasted through his social media and by the state-owned Venezolana de Televisión, Rodríguez stated: "Many are asking about the electoral timelines. I have said it, there will be elections, all of those mandated by our Constitution, organized by a renewed electoral authority and witnessed by the world."
The statement did not include dates, deadlines, or an explanation of how the National Electoral Council (CNE) would be renewed, an organization whose composition and functioning have been questioned by the opposition and by Washington as a condition for recognizing any electoral process.
Rodríguez also attempted to defuse the political tension surrounding the issue: "The election should not be a problem or take us back to times of confrontation that no one wants anymore."
At the end of his speech, he addressed those who "think differently" with a call that mixes openness and conditions: "I don’t ask you to change your opinion; I ask you to judge by the facts and come to the table with equal rules for all."
The address, delivered from the Miraflores Palace, coincided with the first press conference of the opposition leader María Corina Machado following her return to Venezuela on October 25, after nearly ten months in exile, suggesting that the Chavista regime sought to establish its own narrative before the opposition leader spoke publicly.
Meanwhile, Machado has expressed her willingness to meet with Rodríguez, although her movement Vente Venezuela is not part of the formal negotiation table supported by Washington, where the opposition delegation is led by Dinorah Figuera, the president of the National Assembly elected in 2015.
It is not the first time that Rodríguez has made this type of promise without concrete support. In September, before the UN General Assembly, the acting president stated that Venezuela would hold elections "on equal terms for all," without setting any date or verifiable conditions.
The announcement comes amid intense pressure from the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned days ago that the Venezuelan electoral infrastructure was designed to rig elections and must be replaced before any valid voting takes place, and he will not tolerate the chavismo delaying the process until 2029.
The roadmap from Washington outlines three steps: renew the Supreme Court of Justice before the end of 2026 —the Judicial Nominations Committee was sworn in on October 22 and must submit a list of 32 judges to the National Assembly by December 11—, reform the National Electoral Council shortly thereafter, and have Rodríguez declare a permanent vacancy of the Presidency, which would open a constitutional period to call for elections in 2027.
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