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The nation's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has expressed a willingness to collaborate with the US government, dialing back from the defiant posture she initially displayed after the capture of former dictator Nicolás Maduro.

A Statement of Collaboration

In a message issued Sunday night, Rodríguez declared she had "invited the US government to work together on an framework of joint work."

Her comments followed just hours after ex-President Donald Trump warned that Maduro's former vice-president could "pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro" if she did not bend to his wishes.

Leadership Shift in the Country

Rodríguez has assumed de facto control of 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 president by the constitutional tribunal on Saturday. The following day, the military leadership pledged to acknowledge her leadership, while simultaneously calling for the prompt liberation of Maduro and his wife.

The Former President's Statements and Strategy

Following the surprising apprehension of Maduro, Trump claimed that the United States would now "manage" Venezuela "until we can execute a safe, proper and judicious transition." He also mentioned that contact had been made with Rodríguez.

On Sunday, he warned that the US might initiate a second strike if holdouts of the administration do not cooperate with his plans to get the country "back on track."

Trump's actions have entirely sidelined the nation's political opposition, lead by Nobel laureate María Corina Machado. This strategy has been broadly condemned by analysts who argue that the existing power framework remains largely intact – simply without Maduro at its helm.

Rodríguez's Evolving Position

In her initial address after Maduro's detention, Rodríguez initially struck a defiant tone, proclaiming that Venezuela would "never again be anyone's colony."

However, on Sunday night, after presiding over a government meeting, she adopted 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 work jointly on an cooperative agenda, focused on mutual progress, within the framework of global norms, and that promotes lasting peaceful coexistence," she stated.

A Direct Address to Trump

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

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

Contrasting Signals

Despite the conciliatory tone, the administration – and Rodríguez herself, via her social media channel – later honored 32 "Cuban security personnel" who were part of Maduro’s personal security and who perished "as a consequence of the unlawful and reprehensible attack carried out by the United States."

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