Venezuela: Workers, students rally in Caracas demanding electoral calendar.

SHOTLIST: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JUNE 3, 2026) 1. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS, SIGNS, AND VENEZUELAN FLAGS WHILE MARCHING 2. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING SLOGANS WHILE MARCHINGCARACAS, VENEZUELA - JUNE 3, 2026: Workers, student organizations, and many citizens gathered in Caracas on Wednesday, June 3, to demand a clear calendar for presidential elections in Venezuela. The protest, organized by the National Trade Union Coalition and student groups, also saw demonstrators demand the release of political prisoners and improvements in living conditions. The crowd gathered at Luis Brion Square in the Chacaito district in eastern Caracas before marching toward the U.S. Embassy in the Valle Arriba area. Protesters said they intended to submit a petition to U.S. authorities conveying Venezuelans’ demands for political change, democratic elections and improved economic conditions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has recently said that Venezuela must undergo a rigorous three-phase transition — stabilization, recovery and elections, following a US military operation and capture of President Nicolas Maduro. He stated that free and fair multiparty elections remain the ultimate goal, but argued that conditions such as political reconciliation, an independent media environment and electoral institutions must first be established. Rubio asked for patience on the timeline, noting that "five months is not a long time" for a nation to recover from trauma. He argued that simply setting an election date would be insufficient without the necessary democratic infrastructure in place. Despite the delays, Rubio confirmed the Trump administration's endgame: "Ultimately Venezuela's future is free and fair multiparty elections." Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US forces in Venezuela in early January and flown to New York to face charges related to narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses.