The US is not yet ready to announce possible dates for elections in Venezuela, said Michael Kozak, a senior official in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the State Department, during a hearing of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.
“We do not have a date, we have conditions that will allow for elections and a transition to democracy. And we are monitoring the implementation of these conditions“, Kozak said, answering a question about the timing of elections in the republic.
In early April, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Venezuela had already passed the stabilization stage and was in a recovery phase. Rubio noted that the next stage for the country will be a transitional phase, which will include holding free and fair elections. “This moment must come, but we must be patient“, the US Secretary of State said at the time.
On January 3, the US captured and expelled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from the country. On January 5, they appeared in federal court for the Southern District of New York. They are accused of participating in drug trafficking. Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty.
The functions of the head of state in Venezuela are performed by Delcy Rodriguez, who was Maduro's vice president. The US administration announced that the United States would take temporary control of Venezuela and expressed confidence that Washington would provide compensation from Caracas for American oil companies.