Venezuela’s interim President Rodriguez promises elections, transition to ‘full democracy’

Open this photo in gallery:Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez speaks during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.Ryan Murphy/Getty ImagesVenezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that the country would hold elections as part of a transition to “full democracy,” but did not give a specific date for the vote.“I want to make this very clear at this General Assembly: there will be elections in Venezuela,” said Rodriguez, who came to power after American forces captured then-President Nicolás Maduro in a January raid.In her remarks, Rodriguez said the government had initiated talks with the opposition and would guarantee the participation of all political forces. She added that national institutions are being prepared for the electoral process.Critics say Washington has sidelined the Venezuelan opposition, dropping demands for free elections in favour of oil and investment deals with the interim government.Opinion: Marco Rubio is rolling out the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ in Latin AmericaSome US lawmakers have also called for elections, amid criticism that the Trump administration has failed to extract meaningful democratic concessions from Rodriguez’s government.“We have opened a political dialogue with opposition groups aimed at a process with equal conditions for all,” said Rodriguez.Rodriguez briefly met with US President Donald Trump on sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday and praised him for restarting dialogue with Venezuela.Among other matters, Trump and Rodriguez discussed restructuring the South American nation’s billions of dollars in sovereign debt.“This is the time to build the nation that many people want to return to,” Rodriguez said, but cautioned that economic recovery “will take time.”