Rubio Says Venezuelan Elections Will Take “Months and Weeks,” Not Years

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Newsweek that a democratic transition in Venezuela will require “months and weeks,” estimating roughly a six-month horizon after the removal of Nicolás Maduro. He declined to give a specific election date, emphasizing persistence and patience. Rubio compared the process to post-Cold-War transitions in Eastern Europe and Paraguay, noting that Paraguay’s shift took about three and a half years.

Newsweek

Rubio listed four essential pre-conditions: a truly free press, genuine multi-party participation, national reconciliation, and an electoral commission capable of accurately counting votes. He stressed that the future government must inherit a functional state rather than a collapsed one, arguing that economic stability will help facilitate the political transition.

Newsweek

Eight months after a U.S. military operation removed Maduro from power, the promised rapid turnaround has stalled. No new petroleum contracts with U.S. firms have been finalized, and major companies such as Exxon and ConocoPhillips remain cautious. The State Department has urged Acting President Delcy Rodríguez to sign additional contracts with independent U.S. firms. Politically, U.S.-backed talks resumed in Caracas on August 1, led by National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez and former opposition lawmaker Dinorah Figuera. The State Department reiterated that it will not dictate an election timetable while the country recovers from the June 24 earthquakes that killed more than 5,500 people.

Newsweek

Polling by ORC Consultores (pre-earthquake) showed Venezuelan optimism rising to 81 percent in February from 51 percent in December. After the disaster, optimism fell to 65 percent but remained above the 2025 average. The same survey reported 84 percent support for foreign investment and 70 percent trust in the United States, up from 61 percent anti-American sentiment in 2006. Henrique Capriles, a National Assembly member and two-time presidential candidate, expressed confidence in Rubio’s outlined trajectory, noting the importance of democracy in any future vote. He also highlighted the absence of María Corina Machado from the talks as a key unresolved issue.

Newsweek

• “It's a process, and they have to happen,” — State Marco Rubio, of what secretary

Newsweek

• “We want to improve the daily lives, help improve the daily lives of Venezuelans economically so that they're better off, they're more prosperous,” — State Marco Rubio, of what secretary

Newsweek

• “You're dealing with a system that's been in place now for almost three decades,” — State Marco Rubio, of what secretary

Newsweek

• “But if you want to do it right, what you want to have is a democratic transition that happens that brings society together.” — State Marco Rubio, of what secretary

Newsweek

• “It's true that the United States has economic interests. But I believe there is, or should be, awareness in Washington that democracy is very important in Venezuela, that voting is part of democracy,” — Henrique Capriles, a National Assembly member and two-time presidential candidate

Newsweek