Trump also says Venezuela not yet ready for elections; US and Venezuelan governments discuss sanctions relief, allow some mineral trade

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez speaks at a press conference Wednesday (local time). [EPA]
Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez speaks at a press conference Wednesday (local time). [EPA]

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez said Wednesday that the country will hold a presidential election only when it is ready, pushing back against calls from some quarters for an early vote.

Rodriguez made the remarks after signing a major oil agreement with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who visited the capital Caracas on Wednesday (local time). "There will undoubtedly be an electoral process in the future, but the presidential election will only take place when Venezuela is ready," she told reporters.

The comments align with the position of US President Donald Trump, who told reporters at the White House the same day that he believed Venezuela was not yet ready to hold elections, maintaining that pushing for a transitional vote would be premature.

Venezuela's opposition, led by last year's Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, has been pressing for early elections to fill the political vacuum left by the ouster of former President Nicolas Maduro.

In contrast to the opposition's demands, Rodriguez appears to be prioritizing economic recovery and resource cooperation with the United States over setting an immediate election timetable.

After signing major joint venture agreements with US oil company Chevron and Italian energy firm Eni on Wednesday, Rodriguez said the two governments are working closely together toward lifting sanctions on Venezuela.

The US Treasury Department also revised general licenses related to Venezuela sanctions that day, approving some transactions involving key mineral resources including coal and gold.

With resource diplomacy between the two countries gaining momentum, the US and Venezuelan governments are expected to focus for now on economic reconstruction centered on oil and raw materials, rather than on discussions about an early presidential election.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com