Ted Cruz presses Venezuela to hold elections by mid-2027

Ted Cruz is backing Venezuela’s new oil arrangement with the United States, but he says the deal must not push elections off the agenda.

The Republican senator from Texas told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Venezuela needs “democratic and free elections.” He said elections to find a successor to acting President Delcy Rodríguez should take place no later than the middle of next year.

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It is necessary that there be democratic and free elections in Venezuela.

Cruz criticized Rodríguez by pointing to her previous role as Nicolás Maduro’s vice president. He described Maduro as illegitimate and said he had urged free and fair elections from the beginning. Maduro, according to the report, was captured by U.S. authorities in January.

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Maduro was illegitimate. He was a Marxist. He had usurped power against the will of the voters, and from the beginning I have been urging, and I think the administration is working on it, for free and fair elections.

His comments came two days after President Donald Trump announced an agreement that would give U.S. companies control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s oil reserves, equivalent to one-fifth of the country’s proven reserves. The arrangement includes production of more than 1.5 million barrels a day.

Cruz said the oil deal appeared capable of having a “very positive” effect on the U.S. economy, American jobs and gasoline prices over the long term. At the same time, he said the two processes could advance together: the oil agreement should move as quickly as possible, and free and fair elections should also be held quickly.

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I think it does not matter as much which of the two things happens first. I think the oil agreement will move forward as quickly as possible, but free and fair elections must also be held quickly.