A short but significant encounter
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that the meeting held the previous day by the presidents of the United States and Venezuela, Donald Trump and Delcy Rodríguez, was brief but allowed them to discuss restructuring Venezuelan debt, stabilizing the economy and the political transition process. He described the historic encounter as short but important and stressed that much remains to be corrected for Venezuela to succeed.[S1]
Speaking at a press conference, Rubio said the pending steps to achieve that goal had been analyzed and that debt restructuring is key in this regard. He added that Washington wants to cooperate on the matter, but argued that the process must be carried out in the proper manner.[S1]
Political transition and institutional rebuilding
Rubio also said it is equally important to bear in mind that there must be a political transition process, which he said has already begun. He noted that the leaders of the 2015 National Assembly are taking part in talks with interim authorities to work on rebuilding institutions before free and fair elections are held, something he described as fundamental.[S1]
He said what Washington wants to see, beyond simply holding free and fair elections, is a lasting republic. He warned that what would threaten the stability of a lasting republic in Venezuela would be someone being elected and inheriting a total catastrophe, both economic and social.[S1]
In that sense, he said this would put the whole project in danger because anything could happen. He argued that is why two things must be done simultaneously: helping to rebuild the country to reach a level of stability that allows an elected government to succeed, and achieving the level needed to guarantee truly free and fair elections.[S1]
Media, parties and confidence in the vote
To that end, Rubio said media outlets and media coverage are needed. He said candidates must be able to communicate with citizens and that positive steps have been taken in that direction, noting that in the last two weeks several independent Venezuelan outlets have been able to resume broadcasting in Venezuela, a development he said has received little attention.[S1]
He said that when some opposition figures give press conferences, dozens of microphones are literally on the table, whereas two years ago there would have been barely three. He stressed the need to rebuild political parties, noting that many of their leaders remain abroad.[S1]
Rubio emphasized that this is not only about Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina, whom he described as a very brave woman, but also about other people who are outside the country. He said these parties need the opportunity to rebuild, organize and transform themselves, ceasing to be mere protest movements and becoming political movements.[S1]
He therefore stressed the importance of achieving an electoral process that inspires people's confidence. He said it essentially comes down to whether votes will be recorded accurately, which is why electoral authorities that guarantee transparency are needed so that citizens trust the legitimacy of the vote.[S1]
