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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 posture she first adopted after the capture of former dictator Nicolás Maduro.

An Announcement of Collaboration

In a message released late Sunday, Rodríguez stated she had "extended an invitation to the American administration to cooperate on an agenda of cooperation."

Her comments came just hours after ex-President Donald Trump warned that Rodríguez could "pay a very big price, potentially bigger than Maduro" if she did not bend to his wishes.

Leadership Shift in the Country

Rodríguez has effectively been running Venezuela since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained over the weekend. The couple were taken to New York and are due to appear at a U.S. court in Manhattan.

She was formally inaugurated as acting president by the supreme court on Saturday. The following day, the military leadership agreed to recognise her leadership, while simultaneously calling for the prompt liberation of Maduro and his wife.

Trump's Statements and Strategy

Following the shocking capture of Maduro, Trump stated that the United States would now "manage" Venezuela "until such time as we can do a orderly and lawful transition." He also mentioned that contact had been made with Rodríguez.

On Sunday, he warned that the US might initiate 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 laureate María Corina Machado. This strategy has been widely criticised by observers who argue that the existing power framework remains mostly unchanged – just without Maduro at its helm.

Rodríguez's Evolving Position

In her initial address after Maduro's capture, Rodríguez first adopted a stance of resistance, declaring that Venezuela would "never again be anyone's colony."

However, on Sunday night, after presiding over a government meeting, she struck a significantly more cooperative stance. Rodríguez released a message stating she considered a "stable and mutual relationship" with the United States to be a key objective.

"We invite the United States government to collaborate on an agenda of cooperation, focused on mutual progress, within the framework of international law, and that strengthens enduring peace," she added.

A Direct Appeal to Trump

Addressing the former US president directly, she said: "Mr. Trump: our nations and our region are entitled to dialogue and peace, not war. That has consistently been President Nicolás Maduro’s conviction and it is that of the entire nation at this juncture."

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

Contrasting Signals

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

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