The Daily Journal.- The U.S. government wants Delcy Rodríguez to declare a permanent vacancy in Venezuela’s presidency once the country renews the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) and the National Electoral Council (CNE). According to a senior State Department official, this step would trigger a six-month window to hold new presidential elections.
“Once those two things are in place- the new Supreme Court by the end of this year and the new CNE shortly thereafter, and that work has already begun- then they should declare a permanent vacancy in the presidency under Delcy Rodríguez,” the official said during a background conference call with reporters.
The U.S. representative clarified that authorities had not yet declared a permanent presidential vacancy when he made the remarks. According to his explanation, Washington’s proposed roadmap calls for establishing a new Supreme Court before the end of 2026, subsequently renewing the CNE, and, after completing both reforms, initiating the process to call presidential elections.
The official maintained that, under Venezuela’s current Constitution, “the declaration of a permanent vacancy in the presidency” triggers a six-month period to hold new elections. However, he did not announce a specific voting date or indicate when authorities might issue such a declaration.
Judicial reform before December
The U.S. representative reported that opposition figures associated with the National Assembly elected in 2015 and representatives of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), through Jorge Rodríguez, had agreed to appoint members of a committee responsible for proposing new Supreme Court justices.
Under the proposed mechanism, the committee would evaluate candidates and submit a list of 32 names for the National Assembly to consider.
“The key was to ensure that the people serving on this committee, this selection committee, were legitimate figures rather than party operatives,” the official explained.
According to his account, law professors and individuals with established professional reputations make up nearly the entire list, a development he described as progress in the negotiations.
Washington aims to establish the new court before mid-December. “By the end of this year, before it concludes, we should have a new Supreme Court,” he stated.
The official justified the overhaul by arguing that political authorities have used the Supreme Court as an instrument of power. He also recalled judicial decisions that restricted the authority of the National Assembly elected in 2015.
“You cannot have credible elections in that country without resolving that issue,” he insisted, emphasizing the need to replace the existing institutional structure before calling new elections.
The CNE would no longer decide who can run for office
Reforming the National Electoral Council represents the second phase of Washington’s roadmap. The official said discussions to restructure the electoral authority are already underway, and negotiators plan to establish a committee of experts to propose new electoral council members.
The proposal also calls for transforming the CNE’s responsibilities by limiting its role to technical and administrative functions.
“The CNE will essentially become a technical platform. It will lose all its political functions,” he stated.
According to the official, the electoral authority should focus on installing voting machines, setting up polling stations, counting ballots, and publishing results, without deciding which political parties may register or which candidates may participate.
The U.S. representative argued that retaining the current structure would allow opposing political factions to challenge election results.
“If we held an election using that country’s current infrastructure, they know how to organize it: they have voting machines, they can set up polling stations, and they could hold elections next month. But it would not be a fair election, nor would it be a free election,” he maintained.
For that reason, he defended completing institutional reforms before calling elections.
“We need to build the architecture for a credible election before we can call one or conduct it,” he stated.
Washington will use its influence over interim authorities
The senior official defended negotiations with Venezuela’s interim authorities and acknowledged that the United States intends to exert pressure to ensure continued progress.
“As a government, we must use our leverage over the interim authorities to ensure that this process continues moving forward responsibly,” he declared.
He added that Washington seeks elections whose results all political factions will accept, allowing the losing side to acknowledge the outcome and compete again in future elections.
“Our goal is to achieve an election in which, once it takes place, the losing side acknowledges that the contest was fair, accepts defeat, moves into opposition, and, if the other side makes mistakes, runs again in four years to regain power,” he explained.
The official argued that a peaceful transition requires cooperation from those who continue to control state institutions and security forces.
“For a transition to be peaceful, it requires commitment and cooperation from the other side of the equation, particularly those who control the nation’s security services,” he noted.
He also attributed some delays in the talks to the earthquake that struck Venezuela, which, according to his account, occupied authorities’ attention and humanitarian relief efforts for about eight weeks.
Political guarantees and economic reforms
The U.S. representative warned that renewing the Supreme Court and the National Electoral Council would not suffice if political parties lacked the freedom to organize, campaign, and communicate with voters.
“There can be no elections if political actors cannot express themselves without fear of retaliation, arrest, or similar consequences,” he stated.
Among the necessary conditions, he mentioned access to news media, the ability to use social media platforms, and candidates’ freedom to travel throughout the country.
He also argued that political and economic reforms must advance simultaneously. According to the official, a government that wins a popular election could struggle to remain in office if it inherits a weakened economy, electricity supply problems, fuel shortages, high inflation, and widespread crime.
“We cannot condemn it to bear the burden of an economic calamity,” he stated.
The official warned that public dissatisfaction stemming from these difficulties could undermine the stability of a new administration, even after elections that political actors recognize as legitimate.
“Our mission is to give Venezuela the greatest possible chance of consolidating a lasting republic that extends beyond a single term of government,” he affirmed.
