⚡️🇺🇸🇻🇪 — U.S. President Donald Trump held a 15-minute meeting with Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, emphasizing energy cooperation, bilateral ties, and eventual elections. White House sources confirmed Trump did not demand a specific election date but called it a crucial final step, stating, “You have to have elections at the end of the day.” Attending officials included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Trump detailed the U.S. military operation that ousted former socialist President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, concluding subsequent oil and gold-mining agreements with Caracas — Axios.

➡️ On the political vector, Washington intends the electoral process to be led by Venezuelans via the National Reconciliation Council through a three-stage sequence: restructuring the Supreme Court with opposition-nominated justices, reforming the National Electoral Commission to prevent a repetition of the manipulated 2024 vote count, and finally setting an election date. Strategically, Trump aims to secure a legacy of democracy in Venezuela before leaving office, potentially favoring an election late in his term.

➡️ On the economic vector, U.S. officials stated Venezuela faces $300 billion in sovereign debt exceeding its GDP, warning that a newly elected government could inherit an inflationary crisis exacerbated by recent summer earthquakes. A White House official explicitly noted, “The country can’t succeed until that is solved.” While Senator Bernie Moreno proposed a premature election date of July 24, 2027, Trump administration insiders estimate summer or autumn 2028 as a realistic timetable to stabilize finances, maintaining that the timing remains unconfirmed but cannot continue indefinitely.

➡️ Rodriguez characterized the meeting on X as a success in energy and security cooperation, while the U.S.-based Venezuelan diaspora criticized the focus on strategic deals over rapid democratic transitions. Concurrently, allies of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado reported she was barred from re-entering Venezuela, while former Democratic Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell publicly urged South Florida supporters to vote, citing corruption.

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