US urges Venezuela to follow phased plan for democratic transition

What the report says

The United States is pressing Venezuela to stay on a phased road map for stabilization, economic recovery and political reconciliation before moving to democratic elections, according to an Al Jazeera report citing a State Department readout. Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the issue in Washington on Monday during talks with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco about the country’s political future. Neither official briefed reporters afterward.

The discussion comes amid major upheaval in Venezuela’s political landscape. The article says former president Nicolas Maduro was brought to the United States nearly a year ago to face drug trafficking and other charges, while interim president Delcy Rodriguez continues to lead the country after his removal. Washington’s stated position is that the process should ultimately lead to what it calls a democratic transition.

The report also highlights the return of opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, who said she had come back to Venezuela to organize supporters ahead of future elections and praised the Trump administration’s backing. Machado said Rubio had outlined a sequence meant to end in presidential elections in 2027. At the same time, she voiced skepticism about a U.S.-linked oil arrangement with Venezuela, saying it lacked the transparency Venezuelans want. The article says the deal gives the United States an economic foothold in Venezuela’s oil sector, adding another layer to an already complicated political and diplomatic standoff.