Discussion on Venezuela Election Date

Well, it's definitely a phenomenal deal for the

people of Venezuela, and more

importantly from our perspective, for the people of the United States.

But to your point, absolutely, uh, we need to have elections in

Venezuela. Obviously they're not ready for elections

today, but I think

it's extremely important to set a date.

I've suggested July 24th of next year.

That's Simon Bolivar's birthday.

Uh, previous elections had it being Chavez's

birthday.

As you know, uh, Simon Bolivar was the liberator of

Venezuela and Latin America.

Yes.

And President Trump is the modern liberator of Venezuela.

Yes. Maria said that.

So what a more fitting day to have it.

Yeah, Maria Corina said that.

Yeah, so July 24th. Let's go.

Yeah, Maria, Maria-

Yeah, July 24th.

Yeah, Maria Corina, when she gave him his Nobel Prize,

said he was the modern-day

Simon Bolivar. Um-

Yeah

... you're saying that you think the president should call

for elections on,

on the, on his birthday, um, which would be what, in June or July?

Uh, Simon Bolivar's birthday is July 24th, so let's do it

July 24th-

Yeah

... of 2027. Set that date so everybody can shoot for that

date to get things done.

One last question. The Wall, uh, Maria Corina Machado spoke with the Wall

Street

Journal. She says that she plans to return to Venezuela in

order to

campaign for whenever those elections are. Do you think she should do so?

And if so-

Well, she's a free-

... when should she return?

Uh, she should go back whenever she feels

it's, uh, she wants to go back.

I mean, she's a free person. It'll certainly test, uh, the regime's,

uh,

grip on power. You know, they've gotten dramatically unpopular

since the

earthquake. The, if not for the US, Venezuela would be completely

a non-existent nation. And, uh, Delcy again, I think is, uh,

somebody who smiles and waves for the cameras,

tells us what we wanna hear.

But ultimately, uh, she's trying to bide her time, uh, th-

hoping that there'd be some crazy Democratic administration

that would restore

socialism in Venezuela. It's not gonna happen.

I think setting that election date is the most important thing we can do.

But it's also important for ev- everybody to understand,

had President Trump not

acted, Venezuela would be a completely failed

nation.

So the ab- absolute opportunities for the people of

Venezuela, and for the

United States, with this oil deal are immense.

But we need to have that election date.