US Pushes Venezuela Towards Phased Democratic Transition, Emphasizing Recovery and Reconciliation

Washington D.C. – The United States has urged Venezuela to adhere to a structured, phased plan encompassing economic recovery and political reconciliation as a precursor to democratic elections. This directive was conveyed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting with Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Oliver Blanco on Monday, November 2, 2026, at the State Department. The discussion centered on Venezuela's political future and the gradual implementation of the proposed plan.

This meeting occurs nearly a year after former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was apprehended by US forces in Caracas and brought to the United States to face charges including drug trafficking. While neither Rubio nor Blanco addressed the media following their discussion, a statement released by the State Department indicated that Washington reiterated President Donald Trump’s “three-phase plan for Venezuela: stabilization, economic recovery and political reconciliation, and democratic transition.”

Last week, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado returned to her home country, expressing gratitude to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for their support. Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who previously gifted her medal to Trump in 2025, stated her intention to organize a movement in preparation for upcoming Venezuelan elections. She indicated that Rubio has outlined a timeline for events aimed at facilitating a democratic transition, with presidential elections anticipated in 2027.

Machado is navigating an election campaign while dealing with the Trump administration's efforts to secure Venezuelan oil through agreements with the government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president, assumed leadership after his abduction. In September, the Trump administration announced a deal granting Washington a stake in approximately one-fifth of Venezuela's oil resources. The US revealed it was establishing a joint venture with North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), a company owned by Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt, which ranks as the second-largest private oil operator in Venezuela after Chevron. Under this agreement, Caracas grants the company 100-year rights to 17 oilfields with estimated reserves of 65 billion barrels. The Pentagon will hold a 35 percent stake in NABEP, and the US will have guaranteed access to purchase 20 percent of its oil output at cost, according to the Trump administration.

Shortly before Machado's remarks, Rodriguez had assured the nation that elections would proceed with international observation, though a specific date was not provided. When questioned about a potential meeting with Rodriguez, Machado stated she had not received any communication from the interim president or from Washington. Upon her return to Venezuela, Machado expressed skepticism regarding the oil agreement with the US, commenting, “This agreement does not reflect the levels of transparency that Venezuelan society wants.”