Rubio Says Venezuela Will Have New Supreme Court, Electoral Council by December
If the timeline holds, the institutional changes would represent the most significant restructuring of Venezuelan governing bodies in years, with direct implications for any future electoral process.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday, November 9, 2026, that Venezuela is on track to seat new Supreme Court justices by mid-December and to establish a new National Electoral Council shortly afterward, according to Folha de S.Paulo.
"We are on schedule, and if everything continues as planned, we will have new Supreme Court justices sworn in by mid-next month, in December. Shortly after that, the new Electoral Council will be created. These two measures are essential," Rubio said, as quoted by Folha de S.Paulo.
The announcements were framed by the Trump administration as essential steps toward what it describes as a democratic transition in Venezuela. Rubio did not specify in the available source material which parties or factions would be represented on either body, or by what legal mechanism the appointments would be made.
Venezuela's existing Supreme Court, known as the Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, has been a central institution in disputes over electoral legitimacy. The country's current National Electoral Council oversaw the July 2024 presidential election, the results of which were contested by opposition figures and multiple foreign governments, including the United States, which did not recognize the declared victory of President Nicolas Maduro.
The Venezuelan opposition, led in part by figures aligned with recognized opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, has sought international support for institutional changes as a precondition for any new electoral process. It is not confirmed in the available source material whether Gonzalez or his representatives were consulted in the construction of the timeline Rubio described.
The Trump administration has maintained economic pressure on Caracas throughout 2026. The specific leverage mechanisms behind the December institutional timeline, and what, if any, agreement exists between Washington and figures within or outside the Maduro government, are not detailed in the available source material. A full account of those negotiations would require disclosure from the U.S. State Department or confirmed reporting from parties to any agreement.
Rubio's role in Venezuela policy predates his tenure as Secretary of State. As a senator from Florida, he was a consistent advocate for maximum-pressure strategies against the Maduro government, including sanctions targeting the state oil company PDVSA and individual officials. Those sanctions remained in place or were extended under the Trump administration's second term, according to prior State Department records.
The establishment of a new electoral council carries particular significance because international election monitors and opposition groups have identified the composition and independence of that body as a primary condition for credible future elections. The Carter Center, which observed the 2024 vote, concluded in a September 2024 report that the results announced by Venezuelan authorities could not be verified.
No date has been publicly confirmed for a future presidential or legislative election in Venezuela. The timeline Rubio described would, if completed, place both new institutions in operation before the end of 2026, though what electoral calendar would follow remains unspecified in the available source material.
The Maduro government's response to Rubio's statements was not included in the available source material. Venezuela's government has in prior instances rejected U.S. Involvement in its judicial and electoral appointments as interference in national sovereignty.
Whether the December targets are met will depend on factors including cooperation from actors inside Venezuela and the durability of any political arrangements currently in negotiation. Rubio's public statement sets a specific, verifiable benchmark that will be testable within approximately six weeks of his remarks.