World · Latin America · 1 hr ago
US urges Venezuela to follow phased path to democratic elections
The US urged Venezuela to follow a phased plan toward democratic elections, starting with stabilization, economic recovery and political reconciliation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the plan on Monday with Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco.
The proposed process ends with a democratic transition, and Machado has said the sequence points to presidential elections in 2027.
Venezuela is now led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who took over after former President Nicolás Maduro was abducted by US forces nearly a year ago.
Washington has also struck an oil deal with Caracas, including long-term rights to oilfields and a US right to buy part of the output.
Machado, a leading opposition figure who returned to Venezuela last week, said the deal lacked the transparency Venezuelan society wants.
The election date remains unclear: Rodríguez has said elections will be held but has not specified when.
The United States urged Venezuela to follow a phased path toward democratic elections, beginning with stabilization, economic recovery and political reconciliation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the plan with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco on Monday.
The State Department said the plan ends with a democratic transition.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said the sequence makes clear that presidential elections are planned for 2027.
Machado also criticised the transparency of a US-Venezuela oil agreement.
- Who
- The United States, represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco.
- What
- The US urged Venezuela to follow a phased plan toward democratic elections.
- When
- Monday; the article was published on November 3, 2026.
- Where
- The meeting location is not stated. The story concerns Venezuela.
- Why
- The US said the plan would move Venezuela toward a democratic transition. Machado said the sequence points to presidential elections in 2027.
US administration
Maria Corina Machado
Oil agreement transparency
US administration
The Trump administration said the agreement would give the US a stake in Venezuelan oil resources.
Maria Corina Machado
Machado said the agreement did not reflect the transparency Venezuelan society wants.
The Trump administration said it had struck an oil deal with Venezuela.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said elections would be held, without specifying a date.
Machado returned to Venezuela and said she had come to organise a movement ahead of elections.
Rubio discussed the phased plan with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco.
- US plan
- Stabilization, economic recovery and political reconciliation, followed by democratic transition
- Proposed election year
- 2027
- Oilfields in agreement
- 17 oilfields with proven reserves of 65 billion barrels
- US stake in NABEP
- 35 percent
- US oil purchase right
- 20 percent of output at cost
What people are saying
three-phase plan for Venezuela: stabilization, economic recovery and political reconciliation, and democratic transition
Rubio has set out a sequence of events aimed at moving toward a democratic transition that makes clear the holding of presidential elections in 2027
This agreement does not reflect the levels of transparency that Venezuelan society wants