María Corina Machado told POLITICO she believes Venezuela could stage new democratic elections within nine to ten months, though she has not yet raised that timeline with President Trump. Her estimate arrives as congressional leaders push to speed the end of U.S. oversight after Nicolás Maduro’s January capture, while President Trump has suggested Washington might maintain control for years to manage oil infrastructure. Machado cited Venezuela’s democratic traditions, organized society and recent voting experience — despite international criticism — as reasons a quicker transition is feasible.
Machado Says Venezuela Could Hold New Democratic Elections Within Nine Months
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado told POLITICO she believes Venezuela could organize new democratic elections in nine to ten months, but she has not yet discussed that timeline with President Donald Trump.
Timeline and Political Context
In an interview with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns for "The Conversation," Machado said a credible transfer of power with manual, paper-based voting could be completed in nine to ten months, "but that depends when you start." Her comment comes amid pressure from congressional leaders of both parties to accelerate the handover of U.S. oversight following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in January.
U.S. Role and Competing Views
President Trump has indicated the United States might maintain oversight of Venezuela for years, citing interest in tightly managing infrastructure development to access the country’s oil reserves. Trump told The New York Times last month that "only time will tell" how long Washington will play an oversight role.
Why Machado Is Optimistic
Machado, who met with President Trump at the White House after Maduro’s capture, said her meeting did not include a discussion of the election timeline. She argued a faster transition is possible in Venezuela than in past U.S.-led nation-building efforts — pointing to Venezuela’s democratic traditions and organized civil institutions.
“We have a democratic culture, strong democratic culture. We have an organized society. We have a legitimate leadership with huge popular support and our armed forces are also supportive of a transition to democracy,” Machado said.
Recent Elections And Credibility Concerns
Machado noted that Venezuelans recently voted "under very tough circumstances," arguing that the population would embrace a genuinely free process with international support. Venezuela held presidential elections in 2024 and parliamentary elections in 2025; Maduro’s government declared victory in those contests, but independent monitors criticized them as neither free nor fair.
Machado also highlighted that U.S. backing could strengthen public confidence in a transparent transition. The full interview is available on the latest episode of "The Conversation."
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