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The nation's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, has offered to work with the US government, dialing back from the confrontational posture she initially displayed after the capture of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.

An Announcement of Cooperation

In a statement released late Sunday, Rodríguez declared she had "extended an invitation to the US government to cooperate on an framework of cooperation."

Her comments came just hours after ex-President Donald Trump threatened that Rodríguez could "pay a very big price, potentially more severe 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 captured over the weekend. The pair were transported to New York and are scheduled for an appearance at a federal court in Manhattan.

She was formally inaugurated as president by the constitutional tribunal 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.

The Former President's Comments and Approach

Following the shocking capture of Maduro, Trump stated that the United States would now "manage" Venezuela "until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." He also added that contact had been established with Rodríguez.

On Sunday, he cautioned that the US might launch a second strike if holdouts of the government do not cooperate with his efforts to get the country "back on track."

Trump's move have entirely sidelined the nation's political opposition, lead by Nobel laureate María Corina Machado. This tactic has been widely criticised by observers who contend that the regime's power structure remains largely intact – simply without Maduro at its head.

Rodríguez's Evolving Position

In her first public appearance after Maduro's detention, Rodríguez first adopted a stance of resistance, declaring 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 released a message stating she considered a "balanced and respectful relationship" with the United States to be a key objective.

"We invite the government of the US to work jointly on an cooperative agenda, focused on shared development, within the framework of global norms, and that promotes enduring peace," she stated.

A Direct Appeal to Trump

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

"This nation 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 peace, development, sovereignty and a future," she added.

Contrasting Signals

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

Earlier on Sunday, the defense chief, Gen Vladímir Padrino López, had stated that US troops had "summarily executed much of [Maduro’s] security detail, military personnel and innocent civilians," without offering specific details or a confirmed count.