The Trump administration is working with Venezuela to set up a path toward elections, according to a senior State Department official.
The blueprint would see a new Supreme Court, or TSJ, put into place by mid-December of this year, followed shortly by a reformed, non-political National Electoral Council.
According to the Trump administration, that would ultimately see the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, declare a vacancy in the presidency, triggering a six-month period for new elections.
While the specific timeline remains unclear, the administration is pushing for it to happen while Trump is still in office.
Trust “is going to be based on actions,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters when asked about the administration’s view of Rodríguez.
Reformers like opposition leader María Corina Machado, newly returned to the country, will view the blueprint positively, but some will be skeptical.
— Shelby Talcott