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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 defiant posture she first adopted after the apprehension of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.

An Announcement of Collaboration

In a message released late Sunday, Rodríguez declared she had "invited the American administration to work together on an agenda of joint work."

Her comments came just hours after ex-President Donald Trump threatened that Maduro's former vice-president could "pay a very big price, potentially bigger than Maduro" if she failed to comply with his wishes.

Transition of Power in the Country

Rodríguez has assumed de facto control of Venezuela since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained on Saturday. The couple were taken to New York and are scheduled for an appearance at a federal court in Manhattan.

She was formally inaugurated as acting president by the constitutional tribunal on Saturday. The next day, the military leadership pledged to acknowledge her leadership, while simultaneously calling for the prompt liberation of Maduro and his wife.

Trump's Comments and Strategy

Following the shocking capture of Maduro, Trump claimed that the United States would now "run" Venezuela "until such time as we can execute a safe, proper and judicious transition." He also added that communication had been made with Rodríguez.

On Sunday, he cautioned that the US might initiate a second strike if remaining members of the government fail to comply with his plans to get the country "back on track."

Trump's actions have entirely sidelined the country's democratic opposition, lead by Nobel prizewinner María Corina Machado. This strategy has been widely criticised by analysts who argue that the existing power framework remains mostly unchanged – just without Maduro at its head.

The Leader's Shifting Posture

In her first public appearance after Maduro's capture, Rodríguez first adopted a stance of resistance, proclaiming that Venezuela would "never again be any other nation's colony."

However, on Sunday night, after presiding over a government meeting, she struck 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 extend an invitation the United States government to collaborate on an cooperative agenda, aimed at shared development, within the framework of international law, and that promotes enduring peace," she added.

A Direct Address to Trump

Addressing the American ex-president directly, she wrote: "President Donald Trump: our nations and our hemisphere deserve peace and dialogue, not war. That has consistently been President Nicolás Maduro’s belief and it is that of all Venezuela at this moment."

"This is the Venezuela I have faith in and to which I have devoted myself. My dream is for Venezuela to become a significant nation where all decent Venezuelans can unite. Venezuela has the inherent right to sovereignty, development, peace, and a prosperous future," she added.

Contrasting Signals

Alongside the cooperative language, the Venezuelan government – and Rodríguez herself, via her official channel – later paid tribute to 32 "Cuban security personnel" who were part of Maduro’s personal security and who died "as a consequence of the criminal and infamous attack carried out by the US government."

Previously that day, the defense chief, Gen Vladímir Padrino López, had said in a statement that US troops had "summarily executed much of [Maduro’s] protection team, soldiers and innocent civilians," without offering specific details or a confirmed count.