US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expects Venezuela's political transition to advance over the coming months rather than years, as representatives of the interim government and the opposition prepare for their first face-to-face negotiations in Caracas.

The talks, expected to take place later this week on an undisclosed date, come seven months after the US operation that led to the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro. Delegates representing interim President Delcy Rodríguez are due to meet opposition figures in what is expected to be the first formal in-person round of discussions.

Speaking to reporters during an event with Paraguayan Vice President Pedro Alliana on August 3, Rubio said the process would require persistence but should move at a relatively swift pace. "I think it's going to require some perseverance and a little patience; not years, but months and weeks," he said.

Since Maduro's removal in January, Rubio has played a central role in shaping President Donald Trump's policy towards Venezuela, earning the reputation of "viceroy of Venezuela" according to the New York Times. The administration has sidelined concerns on democracy and opted to work with Rodriguez, attaching increasing strategic importance to the country's oil resources as higher crude prices, driven by the conflict with Iran, have reinforced the value of Venezuelan supply.

Rubio often reiterated that Washington envisages a three-stage process for Venezuela, beginning with economic stabilisation, followed by political stabilisation and, ultimately, a full democratic transition culminating in elections. He said improving living standards and economic conditions would help create the environment needed for political progress.

“A system that’s been in place for over a quarter century... those are deep roots that you have to deal with,” Rubio stated in an interview with Fox News’ My View on August 1, adding that the initial priority was stabilisation to prevent “civil war, mass migration, civil unrest.”

Rubio said Venezuela has entered a second phase centred on economic recovery, although the devastating June 24 earthquakes, which killed over 6,000 people and caused material damages the UN estimates at up to $37bn, have complicated the process. 

He argued that democratic elections should follow only after those objectives are achieved. “Ultimately, you have to have transition... there has to be legitimate elections at every level,” Rubio said, adding that national reconciliation would be the first step. “Step one towards that is a national reconciliation,” he said, pointing to post-communist transitions in Eastern Europe as possible models.