Venezuela in September 2026: the most important developments in politics
Venezuela's politics in September 2026 centered on the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Delcy Rodríguez met US President Donald Trump on September 22, a direct contact between Washington and Caracas after Maduro's capture. She also approached Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who assured her of Spain's commitment to Venezuela, and requested a meeting with Brazil. Opposition figure María Corina Machado challenged Trump over the meeting and was blocked from entering Venezuela; one account said Rodríguez and Trump aligned on keeping her out. In his UN address Trump said "to the victor belong the spoils" while describing the seizure of Venezuelan oil, and Rodríguez promised elections at the UN. Trump had said earlier in the month that Venezuela was not ready for elections. On September 26, Venezuela released dozens of political prisoners after talks with the opposition, and Rodríguez and Trump said they discussed elections.
The US oil deal drew attention at the start of the month, with the US defending it while China demanded safeguards.
Legal cases connected to the Maduro government advanced in the United States. Maduro sought immunity from US drug charges, and his wife Cilia Flores requested house arrest for health reasons. Maduro ally Alex Saab pleaded guilty to money laundering on September 15. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the capture of Maduro and his wife.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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