United Nations, Sep 23 (IANS): The United States wants Venezuela to rebuild its economy and electoral institutions together before holding elections, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after President Donald Trump met with acting President Delcy Rodriguez.
Rubio called the meeting short but important. He said the two sides discussed steps towards economic recovery and a political transition, including talks between Venezuela’s interim authorities and leaders from its 2015 National Assembly.
“There has to be a political transition process, which is underway,” Rubio told reporters during the United Nations General Assembly. He said those talks were intended to help rebuild the institutions needed for free and fair elections.
Rubio gave no election date. He said an elected government would struggle to survive if it took office amid severe economic and social problems. Washington therefore wanted greater economic stability alongside a credible vote, rather than treating the two as separate tasks.
Debt restructuring would be part of that work, Rubio said.
The United States wanted to help, but any restructuring had to be handled properly. He also described the recent earthquake as a further strain on a country already facing deep economic problems. The full death toll was still unknown, he said.
For an election to command public confidence, candidates must be able to reach voters, political parties must be able to organise, and votes must be counted and reported accurately, Rubio said. Electoral authorities would need to earn the trust of Venezuelans.
He pointed to what he described as signs of greater space for independent media. Several Venezuelan outlets barred from broadcasting in the country for almost seven years had resumed doing so in the past two weeks, Rubio said. The transcript provides no independent confirmation of that account.
Opposition parties also need time to rebuild, he said. Some of their leaders remain abroad, and the parties must be able to operate as political organisations rather than protest movements. He said an election alone would not be enough if the government it produced could not function.
Asked about reports that opposition figure Maria Corina Machado had been prevented from returning to Venezuela, Rubio said he did not know the details and would seek more information. He praised her but did not answer whether she should be allowed back immediately.
Rubio put the question in the wider context of Venezuelans living outside the country. He said the United States wanted those who wished to return to feel able to reopen businesses and take part in political and economic life. Some were visiting to assess conditions before deciding whether to move back, he said.
Progress on transition and reconciliation talks would help build that confidence, Rubio said. He offered no timetable for completing the institutional changes or for a national vote. His stated goal was an election that would lead to a durable democracy and a functioning economy.
Venezuela is a South American oil producer that has experienced years of economic hardship and political conflict. Millions of its citizens have left the country.
The return of Venezuelans living abroad depends in part on whether they believe they can live, work and participate in politics safely. Rubio said rebuilding that confidence was tied to both the economic recovery and the proposed political transition.
