Rubio outlines three‑phase Venezuela transition before free elections

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a House committee on Wednesday that Venezuela must undergo a rigorous three‑phase transition — stabilisation, recovery, and elections — following a US military operation and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. “The Venezuela that everyone wants for the future is not possible without free and fair elections,” Rubio said, though he cautioned that a “date certain” for a vote cannot be announced until foundational conditions are met.

Prerequisites for democracy

Rubio emphasised that the “recovery phase” requires the establishment of an independent press, the organisation of political parties, and the creation of a new electoral commission. He asked for patience on the timeline, noting that “five months is not a long time” for a nation to recover from trauma. Simply setting an election date would be insufficient without the necessary democratic infrastructure in place. Despite the delays, Rubio confirmed the Trump administration’s endgame: “Ultimately Venezuela’s future is free and fair multiparty elections.”