Venezuela’s interim president returns from US visit with no deal and no election date

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, arrived in New York this week for the UN General Assembly, seeking business deals on debt, energy and mining to show that the once-sanctioned country was open for business again after US forces removed her predecessor in January.

She pledged in her address to the UN that the South American OPEC member would hold elections as part of a transition toward “full democracy.” She left with photographs of herself alongside US President Donald Trump, but with no concrete deal.

It was her first visit to the United States since US forces captured then-president Nicolas Maduro in a January raid.

Trump did not mention Rodriguez by name in his speech, and no information was released about his brief meeting with her.

For nine months, Rodriguez had avoided signaling on elections, while US officials kept expectations low, saying it would take time for things to materialize.

Analysts and Venezuelan opposition parties now say time is running out to set a date, while experts estimate it will take at least 12 months to appoint credible authorities and organize the vote.

After Rodriguez’s meeting with Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two discussed restructuring Venezuela’s sovereign debt and that Washington pressed for political changes, both difficult topics for her administration.

“For this project to succeed, it culminates in free and fair elections,” Rubio said.