A senior State Department official outlined a U.S.-backed plan Monday for presidential elections in Venezuela, emphasizing that major judicial and electoral reforms must take place before voters return to the polls. During a press briefing, the unnamed official said the administration aims to replace the 32 magistrates on Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice by mid-December, followed by an overhaul of the National Electoral Council. Under the proposal, the restructured electoral body would no longer have the authority to disqualify candidates or political parties and would instead focus on administering elections and counting votes.