The majority opposition led by Maria Corina Machado promotes elections for the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027, but judging by statements by the president of the National Assembly (AN), Jorge Rodriguezgranted to a Spanish media, the next elections in Venezuela do not seem to be on the interim agenda, at least in the short term.
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Countrythe brother of the ruler in charge, Delcy Rodriguezwarned that “the most important thing now is the economy”—recovery based on cooperation with Washington—before resolving any other issue; elections, for example. He also maintained that, before calling the polls, political factors inside and outside of Chavismo must agree on the choice of an Electoral Power that enjoys the “trust” of all. Another agreement, he noted, is what type of elections should be held first.
For electoral experts consulted by Cocuyo effect, The dilemma of first the economy and then elections and democracy is “false.” “They go hand in hand,” it is stated, and that in Venezuela, with its particularities, both are needed.
The former alternate rector of the National Electoral Council (CNE) Griselda Colina and political scientist Jesús Castellanos Vásquez emphasize that it is imperative to rebuild the electoral route before the call to vote (impartial CNE, updating the Electoral Registry, lifting political disqualifications and returning cards to parties, among others), but that it is technically possible to hold elections in the promoted time.
They also respond to the head of Parliament who A new electoral entity must have the trust of all sectorsnot only from Chavismo and those whom they recognize as “opposition”, so it would be a terrible decision to once again choose rectors who only respond to political biases, as occurred in the partial renewal of the Citizen Power (prosecutor and ombudsman).
It is also remembered that the tutelage and what is agreed with Washington will be decisive in the electoral conditions and a date. The task of the democratic opposition? Rearticulate and press for conditions.
false dilemma
“Prioritizing the economic is a false dilemma that you want to position. Of course economic well-being must be addressed, but democratic institutions are required that manage resources transparently and equitably. There have been four years without an increase in the minimum wage but that does not negate the institutional improvement,” said Colina.
The human rights defender recalled that, along with a partial renewal of Citizen Power, there is talk of changes in the board of directors of the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) and a lifting of sanctions on the issuing entity, so both agendas, she stated, can be combined.
“It’s not about putting ourselves in that dilemma. We must also start with institutional changes and that is not being seen,” he added.
Jorge Rodriguez He maintained that it was “necessary” for the Venezuelan economy to advance towards a “dynamism such that the population feels that this entire process was worth it,” coinciding with US spokespersons such as Marco Rubio, who has asked Venezuelans for “patience” regarding the issue of the presidential elections. After the arrest of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, the US Secretary of State unveiled a three-phase plan for Venezuela: stabilization, (economic) recovery and transition.
«The economic plan is the fundamental objective of the US government, although that alone will not generate all the fruits that Donald Trump and his management expect. Knowing this, the rodrigato delivers products such as laws, concessions, mineral extraction possibilities, and at the same time, they plan their perpetuation in power. Is it feasible for the US government to settle for economic matters alone? How much can Delcy Rodríguez do to attract and maintain international private investment, in which there are no guarantees, the country is suffering a humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions and, at the same time, ordinary people are demanding and protesting?” says Castellanos Vásquez.
In the opinion of the political scientist, Trump knows that he “protects a dictatorship” and what the Delcy Rodríguez regime does or does not do, which he legally recognized in mid-March, can directly affect him.
“For the democratic cause, the main risk is that this attempt at improvement in Venezuela” – concessions to the US – which satisfies Trump so far, gives time and resources to the rodrigato. For Rodrigato, this tutelage has imposed the generation of a certain order in the country and the determination of some spaces that at least seem democratic, and that has become windows for democrats in Venezuela to mobilize and create networks of action,” said the political scientist.
Build electoral conditions
«I couldn’t, but with absolute candor I tell you that we are promoting changes in an accelerated manner so that people feel that the country’s democratic institutions function adequately for the purposes of any electoral eventuality,” said Jorge Rodríguez in the interview, when asked about the deadlines for economic recovery and the call for elections.
At this point he alluded to a CNE that enjoys the “trust” of everyone and that must be the product of a national agreement. He added that before going to the polls, there must also be an agreement on which election comes first, whether the presidential one or the Parliamentary one or both.
Both Colina and Castellanos Vasquez agree that the election of a new CNE is imperative, very different from the one indicated to incur in electoral fraud after the votes of July 28, 2024, when, without evidence, he proclaimed Maduro as re-elected president.
“We must now begin to build the conditions for an electoral process that serves to rescue the institutions. There are six fundamental steps: an ad hoc CNE, updating the electoral registry inside and outside the country, lifting disqualifications against political parties and leaders, national and international electoral observation, guaranteeing coverage by the national and foreign media and guaranteeing audits of the elections with international experts,” the former substitute rector lists.
Colina recalled that, following the 2024 presidential elections, the observation electoral The national “was dismantled” due to obstacles in the CNE and political persecution, while the international was not allowed. He stressed that the invitation to missions such as that of the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization of American States (OAS) must be made with sufficient advance notice.
“We agree that a new CNE is necessary to hold new elections in Venezuela in a different framework. This appointment must comply with what is defined in the Constitution and with good institutional practices,” said the political scientist.
When and what elections?
The opposition leader Maria Corina Machado declared this April 12, in an online meeting with the Democratic Unitary Platform in Caracas, that Venezuela is united and demands its right to choose freely, when the conditions exist. “We want elections to choose everything,” he said.
A day later, the Minister of the Interior and Justice, Diosdado Haircriticized the call for elections, although he affirmed that the government party, Psuv, will be prepared for any call.
Regarding the date of a presidential or general election, Castellanos Vásquez indicated that, once the CNE is renewed, the elections could be organized in at least six months. Colina points out that it is technically possible to organize the votes by the end of the year or the first quarter of 2027, “although they are not perfect.”
“They must contain the six elements indicated; it is a difficult time, but we must move forward. Update the electoral registration inside and outside Venezuela it will take longer than that, but we have to start and not put any more obstacles, take advantage of the technology offered by international companies. “Elections can be held in contexts of political transition as occurred in Bangladesh,” said the former rector.
Both experts consider that presidential and parliamentary elections can be called separately or together due to the importance of an independent Legislative Branch initiating true institutional reforms to rescue democracy. They stressed that this must be the product of a national agreement, although the participation of US tutelage will also be decisive.
“The pressure for elections this year, which is what corresponds by constitutional mandate in the face of the absolute lack of the person who held that position, Maduro, and in the face of the refusal in practice to respect the popular will of the 2024 elections, exists. democratic sectors In Venezuela they are demanding it. However, the decision to celebrate them depends mainly on the US government and the rodrigato. In that sense, it seems difficult for there to be elections this year,” admitted the political scientist.
