On Wednesday, Donald Trump held a meeting with Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This marked the first face-to-face interaction between a U.S. president and a Venezuelan leader in over a decade, as reported by Axios, citing White House sources.
The conversation, which lasted about 15 minutes at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in Manhattan, was characterized by those sources as "warm, friendly, but also straightforward." Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
The primary focus was on the necessity of holding elections in Venezuela, although Trump did not specify any particular date. "At the end of the day, there must be elections," Trump told Rodríguez, according to one source present at the meeting.
Rodríguez acknowledged the importance of the electoral process: "She recognized it. She said she also wants elections," noted the same source.
Later, addressing the General Assembly, Rodríguez pledged that elections would take place in Venezuela and stated that the Venezuelan government had "opened a dialogue" to that effect.
Venezuelan Elections and International Reactions
"There will be elections in Venezuela, and we have initiated a political dialogue with opposition sectors to ensure a process that is fair for all," she declared.
The night before, Rodríguez described the meeting as "historic" on her X account, emphasizing that they discussed "strengthening bilateral relations and a cooperative agenda in strategic areas such as energy, mining, and security." The post included a photo showing her making the "V" for Venezuela while Trump posed with his signature thumbs-up gesture.
The image sparked outrage among the Venezuelan diaspora in the United States, who demand concrete electoral commitments rather than just commercial agreements.
Political Tensions and Strategic Moves
On the day of the meeting, allies of opposition leader María Corina Machado — a Nobel Peace Prize laureate — reported that Venezuela denied her entry for the third time in 24 hours, marking at least the seventh instance since late June that the Chavista regime has blocked her return to the country.
The relationship between Washington and Caracas has dramatically shifted since Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces on January 3, 2026. In August, the Trump administration signed what Trump called the largest oil deal in history, involving 17 strategic fields and about 65 billion barrels of proven reserves.
Following Maduro's capture, Rubio stated that Washington was working on a "three-phase" plan for Venezuela: stabilization, recovery, and transition. This plan emphasized the need to reform the Supreme Court to allow the opposition to nominate judges, overhaul the National Electoral Council to prevent a repeat of the 2024 fraud — when Edmundo González Urrutia's victory was stolen — and, finally, announce an election date.
However, this final step is causing significant concern among Venezuelan civil society and the international community, particularly in the region.
Setting the Path for Venezuela’s Future
According to internal administration sources and Rubio's transition plan, a summer or fall 2028 election would make more sense, as Venezuela requires time to restructure a sovereign debt that the White House estimates at around $300 billion, exceeding the country's GDP.
"The country can't thrive until that's resolved," a White House official warned Axios.
Meanwhile, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) has suggested July 24, 2027, as an election date, but the Trump administration considers it premature.
"If it can be in '27, that would be great. We'd like that," a source told the outlet, though they clarified that Venezuela must first address its debt issue.
"Whether the date for meeting those conditions is 2027 or 2028 is still up in the air. It certainly can't extend indefinitely," the same source concluded.
Key Questions About Venezuela's Political Future
Why is holding elections in Venezuela important?
Elections are crucial for establishing a legitimate government and restoring democratic governance in Venezuela. They are a step towards resolving the political crisis and ensuring fair representation for the Venezuelan people.
What are the proposed dates for the Venezuelan elections?
While there is no fixed date, discussions suggest that elections could be held in the summer or fall of 2028. However, some propose an earlier date in 2027, contingent on resolving Venezuela's significant debt issues.