US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated Washington’s position that Venezuela must hold elections to determine its next president, stressing that the United States does not recognize Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the country’s legitimate leader.
In remarks reported by the New York Post, Rubio stated that Rodríguez “is not the lawful president of Venezuela” and emphasized that the United States will not support her remaining in power. He added that Washington does not view the current governing arrangement in Venezuela as legitimate in general.
Rubio’s comments came after direct communication with Rodríguez following a U.S. military operation in Caracas that resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. In the aftermath of the operation, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Rodríguez to assume presidential powers on an interim basis.
The U.S. administration, however, maintains that any transitional authority must lead to credible elections and a democratically chosen leadership. Rubio underlined that the future of Venezuela’s governance should be decided by its people through free and fair elections, not by judicial or unilateral arrangements.
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