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The nation's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, has expressed a willingness to collaborate with the United States, marking a shift from the confrontational rhetoric she first adopted after the apprehension of former dictator Nicolás Maduro.

An Announcement of Collaboration

In a message issued Sunday night, Rodríguez stated she had "invited the US government to cooperate on an agenda of cooperation."

Her comments came just a short time after former President Donald Trump threatened that Rodríguez could "pay a very big price, probably more severe than Maduro" if she failed to comply with his demands.

Transition of Power in the Country

Rodríguez has assumed de facto control of Venezuela since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured over the weekend. The pair were taken to New York and are scheduled for an appearance at a federal court in Manhattan.

She was sworn in as acting president by the supreme court on Saturday. The next day, the country's armed forces pledged to acknowledge her authority, while simultaneously calling for the immediate release of Maduro and his wife.

Trump's Statements and Strategy

Following the surprising apprehension of Maduro, Trump stated that the United States would now "run" Venezuela "until such time as we can execute a safe, proper and judicious transition." He also mentioned that communication had been established with Rodríguez.

On Sunday, he cautioned that the US might launch a further action if remaining members of the government fail to comply with his plans to get the country "fixed."

Trump's actions have effectively marginalized the country's democratic opposition, headed by Nobel prizewinner María Corina Machado. This tactic has been broadly condemned by analysts who contend that the existing power framework remains largely intact – just without Maduro at its helm.

The Leader's Evolving Posture

In her first public appearance after Maduro's detention, Rodríguez first adopted a stance of resistance, declaring that Venezuela would "not ever be anyone's colony."

However, on Sunday night, after chairing her first cabinet meeting, she adopted a significantly more cooperative stance. Rodríguez issued a communication stating she considered a "stable and mutual relationship" with the United States to be a priority.

"We invite the government of the US to collaborate on an agenda of cooperation, aimed at mutual progress, within the framework of global norms, and that strengthens lasting peaceful coexistence," she stated.

An Open Appeal to Trump

Addressing the former US president directly, she wrote: "President Donald Trump: our nations and our region are entitled to dialogue and peace, not war. That has consistently been President Nicolás Maduro’s belief and it is that of all Venezuela at this juncture."

"This is the Venezuela I believe in and to which I have dedicated my life. My dream is for Venezuela to become a great power where all decent Venezuelans can unite. Venezuela has the right to sovereignty, development, peace, and a prosperous future," she added.

Contradictory Messages

Despite the conciliatory tone, the administration – and Rodríguez herself, via her social media channel – later paid tribute to several dozen "Cuban combatants" who were part of Maduro’s security detail and who perished "due to the unlawful and reprehensible attack carried out by the United States."

Previously that day, the defense chief, Gen Vladímir Padrino López, had stated that US troops had "summarily executed much of [Maduro’s] protection team, military personnel and non-combatants," without offering specific details or a confirmed count.