Politics

Sen. Ted Cruz calls for Venezuelan elections by mid-2027 following US oil agreement

The Texas senator backed a recent deal securing control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil while pushing for a swift democratic transition.

Updated Aug 30, 2026 · 15:20 UTC1 reports

The short version

Senator Ted Cruz called for free and fair democratic elections in Venezuela to be held no later than mid-2027.
The call comes two days after the Trump administration announced an agreement giving the U.S. control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves.
Delcy Rodríguez currently serves as acting president following the January capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.
Cruz stated that the oil deal should proceed as quickly as possible and does not need to be delayed until after the elections.

Senator Ted Cruz urged the implementation of free and fair elections in Venezuela by midway through next year during an appearance on NBC's 'Meet the Press.'[NBC News]
The Trump administration recently announced an agreement allowing the U.S. to take control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves.[NBC News]
U.S. forces captured former President Nicolás Maduro in January to face drug-trafficking charges, after which former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of acting president.[NBC News]
Cruz joined a bipartisan group of senators earlier in the month to introduce a resolution supporting free elections in Venezuela.[NBC News]
Addressing foreign policy on Iran, Cruz advocated for arming Iranian protesters to induce regime collapse without deploying U.S. troops.[NBC News]
Cruz stated he will wait until after the November midterm elections to decide whether to run for president in 2028.[NBC News]

The exact timeline and legal structure for implementing the U.S. oil agreement and transitioning Venezuela toward national elections remain unspecified.[NBC News]