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The nation's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has offered to work with the US government, dialing back from the defiant rhetoric she first adopted after the capture of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.

An Announcement of Cooperation

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

Her remarks followed just a short time after ex-President Donald Trump warned that Maduro's former vice-president could "face severe consequences, potentially bigger 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 detained over the weekend. The pair were transported to New York and are due to appear at a U.S. court in Manhattan.

She was sworn in as acting president by the supreme court on Saturday. The next day, the military leadership agreed to recognise her leadership, while simultaneously calling for the immediate release of Maduro and his wife.

Trump's Comments and Approach

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

On Sunday, he cautioned that the US might launch a further action if remaining members of the government do not cooperate with his plans to get the country "back on track."

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 argue that the regime's power structure remains largely intact – simply without Maduro at its helm.

Rodríguez's Evolving Position

In her first public appearance after Maduro's capture, Rodríguez initially struck a defiant tone, declaring that Venezuela would "not ever be any other nation's colony."

However, on Sunday night, after presiding over a government meeting, she adopted a markedly more conciliatory tone. Rodríguez issued a communication 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 confines of global norms, and that promotes lasting peaceful coexistence," she stated.

An Open Address to Trump

Addressing the American ex-president directly, she wrote: "Mr. Trump: our peoples and our region 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 moment."

"This is the Venezuela I believe in and to which I have devoted myself. My aspiration is for Venezuela to become a significant nation where all patriotic Venezuelans can unite. Venezuela has the right to sovereignty, development, peace, and a prosperous future," she concluded.

Contrasting Signals

Alongside the cooperative language, the administration – and Rodríguez herself, via her social media channel – later honored several dozen "Cuban security personnel" who were part of Maduro’s personal security and who died "due to the unlawful and reprehensible attack carried out by the US government."

Earlier on Sunday, the defense chief, Gen Vladímir Padrino López, had said in a statement that US troops had "cold-bloodedly assassinated much of [Maduro’s] security detail, soldiers and innocent civilians," without providing names or a death toll.