Delcy Rodríguez promises elections but no date, while Machado holds her first press conference in Caracas

Thursday, October 29, 2026 was a key day in Venezuela. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez talked about elections, and shortly afterwards María Corina Machado held her first press conference since returning to the country.

What Delcy Rodríguez said

In a nationwide address she promised that "there will be elections, all those required by our Constitution, organized by a renewed electoral authority". But she gave no date: she said the political path "is not measured by a date on the calendar".

She also announced:

That around 9,000 people have benefited from the amnesty law passed in February, and more than 1,000 have been released.

That the anti-hate law was applied abusively and that she asked for its prison sentences to be removed. She ordered the police not to arrest anyone without a court order, unless caught in the act.

That in 2027 there will be four pay rises for workers, without saying how much.

The third round of dialogue with representatives of the National Assembly elected in 2015 was held in Caracas.

What Machado said

At the Andrés Bello Catholic University, Machado said that "it is time to heal the country" and that they achieved this "the Venezuelan way, with nobility and for freedom". She thanked Donald Trump and Marco Rubio for making the path to transition possible, as well as Panama and other countries.

The opposition, grouped in the Unitary Platform, confirmed her as its presidential candidate and is calling for elections in 2027. But Machado remains barred from public office for 15 years by a 2024 Supreme Court decision.

The chavista response

Diosdado Cabello called Machado's return a "prefabricated media operation".

To see what Machado did in recent days, read [her visit to La Guaira](machado-la-guaira.html).