Caracas, Venezuela: Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on Thursday that elections will be held in the country under a “renewed” electoral authority, although she stopped short of announcing a specific date. She also instructed security forces to ensure that no individual is detained without a judicial warrant, except in cases where a person is caught committing an offence.
“There will be elections, all those mandated by our Constitution, organized by a renewed electoral authority and witnessed by the world,” Rodríguez declared in a televised address to the nation, shortly before opposition leader María Corina Machado was scheduled to hold her first press conference.
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Dressed in white and speaking in a measured tone, Rodríguez, who assumed power following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro (2013–2026) in Caracas, argued that Venezuela’s political future should not be determined by an immediate election date but by achieving a series of political and institutional objectives.
“The political horizon is not measured as a date on the calendar, but rather through a sequence of objectives,” she said.
Among the priorities she outlined were establishing genuine democratic coexistence and peace, implementing an orderly legal reform process, guaranteeing fair participation for all political forces and ensuring that elections become a solution rather than a source of further political confrontation.
“Elections should not become a problem or pull us back into times of confrontation that no one wants anymore,” Rodríguez emphasized.
Opposition Demands Presidential Elections
Venezuela’s opposition, particularly leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, has been demanding presidential elections in 2027.
Meanwhile, the administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly supporting a roadmap to renew key Venezuelan institutions, including the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) and the National Electoral Council (CNE), in the coming months.
According to a senior US State Department official on Monday, the proposed process is expected to lead Rodríguez to declare the presidency vacant, triggering a six-month period within which elections would be called.
However, Rodríguez’s latest remarks indicate that her administration is prioritizing institutional and political conditions before setting an electoral timetable.
Rodríguez Orders Security Forces to Respect Civil Liberties
In her address, Rodríguez also sought to reassure Venezuelans about political freedoms and civil liberties, directing security forces not to detain individuals without a judicial warrant, except in cases of flagrante delicto.
She reaffirmed the right to peaceful demonstrations while urging citizens to respect police officers and security personnel.
“We all have the right to think differently without fear of reprisals of any kind,” Rodríguez said, adding that “the responsible practice of politics is guaranteed for everyone.”
The acting president also highlighted her administration’s efforts to secure the release of hundreds of political prisoners through an amnesty law.
Additionally, she reiterated her proposal to reform Venezuela’s anti-hate law, acknowledging that the legislation had been applied abusively and calling for a review of cases involving individuals prosecuted under it.
Machado Expected to Respond to Government’s Electoral Position
According to her political party, Vente Venezuela, opposition leader María Corina Machado was scheduled to address the media around midday on Thursday.
Her press conference follows a recent visit to La Guaira, a northern coastal state, where she met communities affected by the twin earthquakes of June 24.
Political observers are closely watching Machado’s response to the government’s proposed electoral framework and the opposition’s next steps in its campaign for democratic elections.
On Wednesday, when questioned about Machado, Rodríguez rejected allegations of government intimidation and insisted that “there is no political persecution” in Venezuela. She also suggested that Machado “could avoid the show.”
The latest developments highlight continuing political divisions over Venezuela’s democratic transition, the renewal of electoral institutions and the timing of future elections.
SOURCE : EFE. | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
