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The nation's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, has offered to work with the US government, dialing back from the defiant posture she first adopted after the apprehension of former dictator Nicolás Maduro.

A Statement 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 remarks followed just hours after former President Donald Trump threatened that Rodríguez could "face severe consequences, potentially more severe than Maduro" if she failed to comply with his wishes.

Transition of Power in Venezuela

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 federal court in Manhattan.

She was formally inaugurated as acting president by the constitutional tribunal on Saturday. The next day, the country's armed forces pledged to acknowledge her leadership, while still demanding the immediate release of Maduro and his wife.

Trump's Statements and Approach

Following the surprising apprehension of Maduro, Trump claimed that the United States would now "run" Venezuela "until we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." He also added 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 efforts to get the country "back on track."

Trump's move have entirely sidelined the country's democratic opposition, headed by Nobel laureate María Corina Machado. This strategy has been broadly condemned by analysts who argue that the existing power framework remains mostly unchanged – simply without Maduro at its head.

The Leader's Evolving Posture

In her first public appearance after Maduro's capture, 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 markedly more conciliatory tone. Rodríguez released a message stating she considered a "stable and mutual relationship" with the United States to be a priority.

"We extend an invitation 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 added.

A Direct Appeal to Trump

Speaking to the American ex-president directly, she wrote: "President Donald Trump: our nations and our region are entitled to dialogue and peace, not war. That has always been President Nicolás Maduro’s conviction and it is that of all Venezuela at this juncture."

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

Contradictory Messages

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

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