Wednesday, September 2nd 2026 - 21:00 UTC
“Delcy wants it, but they are not ready yet,” he said in the Oval Office, referring to acting president Delcy Rodríguez
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Venezuela does not yet meet the conditions to call elections, five days after announcing the agreement granting Washington majority control over a fifth of the country's oil reserves for a century.
“I don't think they're ready yet. It's very new, we got them out of a dictatorship and we get along very well with the government. Delcy, as you know, is doing a very, very good job. She is very respected and we want that and they want it too. Delcy wants it, but they are not ready yet,” he said in the Oval Office, referring to acting president Delcy Rodríguez. He added that he hopes elections can be held soon, but did not specify what conditions must be met or set out any timetable.
A senior US administration official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, expressly ruled out setting a date. “It would be an artificial deadline,” he said. “But we want it to be as soon as possible, once the conditions are in place.” He urged patience and argued that Venezuelan institutions were degraded over the previous two decades and must be rebuilt before elections can be considered free and fair.
