Continued Rubio also raised the expectation that Venezuela would declare a presidential vacancy, which would trigger a six-month election window under Venezuela's constitution.
But his remarks deliberately avoided any mention of the fact that President-elect Nicolás Maduro was forcibly ousted and kidnapped by a US invasion on January 3. The obvious elephant in the room is: Why is Washington publicly outlining the timeline of judicial institutions and elections of sovereign states?
And while Rubio touts these changes as essential steps, the timeline itself remains to be seen rather than a confirmed election timetable, though Caracas appears to have been on board so far, at least publicly.
All this comes against the backdrop of ongoing US military, economic and political pressure on Venezuela, and growing questioning of the country's sovereignty, as the interim government of Delsey Rodriguez continues to cooperate.
For Venezuela, the question is: who will ultimately decide the country's fate, US imperialism or the people themselves, who have built a revolutionary tradition and a strong Chavismo?