The North American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, assured this Wednesday that the meeting between President Donald Trump and the interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, It was brief but among other things they talked about elections in Venezuela.
Rubio explained in a press conference, one day after the first meeting between both leaders since the arrest of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, that They talked about how to rebuild the Venezuelan economy and the political transition.
“We not only want free and fair elections, but a lasting republic. “What would threaten a lasting republic in Venezuela would be if someone gets elected and inherits an absolute economic and social catastrophe,” Rubio declared.
The head of US diplomacy pointed out that after many years of “destruction” and the recent seismic double, Venezuela has many problems to face, which in his opinion must be resolved before calling elections: “Debt restructuring is fundamental.”
Even so, Rubio affirmed that leaders of the 2015 National Assembly are participating in conversations with the interim authorities to work on rebuilding the institutions before holding free and fair elections.
He pointed out that it is necessary to rebuild the political parties, since many of the leaders are still abroad.
“It’s not just about María Corina, a very brave woman; there are other people who are also outside the country,” he commented.
He assured that there are 8 million Venezuelans abroad wishing to return to Venezuela, but they need “confidence” that they will be able to live, invest and develop their lives there.
Trump and Rodríguez met on Tuesday during a reception with foreign leaders on the occasion of UN High Level Week.
The meeting, which the president described as “historic”, was private but both governments released images of both leaders.
