The American Secretary of State, Marco Rubioassured that Washington maintains a roadmap aimed at achieving the democratic transition in Venezuela.
The plan contemplates the renewal of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ)the structuring of a new National Electoral Council (CNE), guarantees of political and press freedom, as well as a declaration of presidential vacancy that would open a period of six months for the holding of presidential elections.
The head of American diplomacy reported that negotiations on the Venezuelan institutional architecture will continue this week and expressed optimism regarding the results achieved at the internationally facilitated dialogue table.
“I think we’re making good progress. We just have to stay on top of things and make sure we can meet these deadlines,” Rubio said in assessing the progress of the diplomatic talks.
Institutional schedule: new TSJ in December and restructuring of the CNE
Within the deadlines contemplated in the bilateral talks, the US official announced that the designation and installation of the new judges of the TSJ It could be completed in mid-December.
He identified three determining elements to provide credibility to the process: an independent court of justice, an electoral body with a strictly administrative profile and the full exercise of a free press.
After the judicial swearing-in, the scheme provides for the immediate formation of electoral power who will assume the technical leadership of the future presidential contest.
“If things continue like this, we will have new judges of the Supreme Court in office by the middle of next month, in December. Subsequently, very quickly afterwards, the new Electoral Council will be created,” explained the Secretary of State when referring to the calendar of renewals in public powers.
Presidential vacancy mechanism and guarantees for the opposition
The approach of the US administration establishes that once the new TSJ and the CNE are operational, the next phase of the process will contemplate the formal declaration of the presidential vacancyan instrument that will immediately activate the six-month regulatory period to organize and execute the elections.
In relation to the internal political scenario, the White House representative valued the development of public activities and the presence of the opposition leader in national territory. Maria Corina Machado and other leaders in recent weeks. He also highlighted the importance of preserving uninterrupted access to information networks and the media.
“I think it has been very good that María Corina and other elements of the opposition have been in the country now for more than two weeks. No one has been arrested, they are holding press conferences, they have full access to the internet. You cannot have credible elections if the people who are running cannot communicate with the voters,” said the American diplomat.
Voting abroad and international diplomatic opening
Regarding the suffrage of the diaspora, Rubio proposed the reopening of the consular offices of Venezuela in the United States in order to enable voting precincts for the migrant population in United States territory.
He ratified that the consular issue is part of the work talks, and urged the country’s international relations to be diversified to promote its socioeconomic recovery beyond the Russian influenceChina and Iran.
“There are seven million Venezuelans living abroad, how are they going to vote? We need consulates to open in the United States so that those who are there can have a place to vote where they can go. The more Venezuela is exposed to the world that does not involve Russia, China and Iran, the more progress can be made there in terms of recovery,” said the Secretary of State.
Diplomatic strategy evaluation
Taking stock of the international deployment, the official He reiterated that the institutional reestablishment in the South American nation is among the central priorities of US foreign policy.
He indicated that although the fixing the date of the elections will correspond to the new electoral referee, strict compliance with the institutional stages projects a favorable result for the restitution of the democratic order.
“There is a plan, we are moving forward with it, it is a priority for us and I believe it will be successful,” he said.
