Venezuela’s Rodriguez Returns From US Without Major Deals or Election Date.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez has returned from a visit to the United States without securing major agreements on debt, energy or mining, while her government has yet to announce a firm date for elections.

Rodriguez travelled to New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where she sought to attract investment and demonstrate that Venezuela was reopening its economy following the removal and capture of former President Nicolas Maduro by US forces in January.

In her UN address, Rodriguez promised that Venezuela would hold elections as part of a transition toward what she described as “full democracy.” However, no election date was announced during her visit.

She met briefly with US President Donald Trump, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two sides discussed restructuring Venezuela’s sovereign debt and Washington’s demands for political change.

Analysts and Venezuelan opposition groups say pressure is increasing on Rodriguez to set an election timetable. Experts cited by Reuters estimate that preparing for credible elections could take at least 12 months.

No major agreements announced

Ahead of Rodriguez’s visit, expectations had been raised that Venezuela could secure preliminary agreements with US officials, international lenders and energy and mining companies.

However, by Saturday, no major agreements had been announced.

The Inter-American Development Bank is reportedly working toward approval of a $2.5 billion bridge loan for Venezuela, although some members of its board have opposed the proposal.

Russia also sought talks with Venezuelan officials about its interests in the country's oil sector, while reports indicated that ExxonMobil was negotiating a possible return to the Petromonagas development in Venezuela’s Orinoco Belt.

Pressure over elections

Rodriguez’s visit also highlighted growing international pressure over when Venezuelans will be allowed to vote.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in an interview with CNN that the United States appeared to be treating Rodriguez as though Washington were her government’s boss, adding that he would call elections if he were in her position.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was reportedly prevented from returning to Venezuela from Panama.

US Secretary of State Rubio said the political transition would ultimately need to result in a free and fair election.

Rodriguez has spent the past nine months avoiding setting an election date, while US officials have said that organizing elections would take time. Opposition parties and analysts are now calling for a timetable to be established.

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