Venezuela's next election may be a year or more away, sources and analysts told Reuters, as court and electoral-authority overhauls remain under discussion. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez promised a transition to “full democracy” but gave no timetable for a vote.
Two sources said a vote was unlikely before the end of 2027; Risa Grais-Targow of Eurasia Group estimated late 2027 as the earliest, with a possibility it takes longer. Plans call for replacing all 32 Supreme Court judges and the five directors of the National Electoral Council. Even after a new council is installed, officials would need to update voter rolls, ensure all parties can compete and decide whether voting is manual or electronic; two sources close to the talks said that process alone could take up to a year.
At the UN General Assembly, Rodríguez said state institutions were preparing for elections and that her government had opened talks with the opposition and would guarantee full participation. U.S. officials say a transition must also bring economic and social stability; critics argue Washington has sidelined the opposition and reduced urgency for free elections in favor of oil and investment deals. President Donald Trump last month announced a U.S. push to take control of a fifth of Venezuela's oil reserves. Opposition leader María Corina Machado has been absent from the talks as efforts to return to Venezuela have been stymied.
