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Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, has expressed a willingness to collaborate with the US government, marking a shift from the confrontational rhetoric she initially displayed after the apprehension of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.

A Statement of Collaboration

In a statement issued Sunday night, Rodríguez declared she had "extended an invitation to the American administration to cooperate on an framework of cooperation."

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

She was formally inaugurated as president by the supreme court on Saturday. The next day, the military leadership pledged to acknowledge her authority, while still demanding the prompt liberation of Maduro and his wife.

Trump's Statements and Strategy

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

On Sunday, he cautioned that the US might launch a second strike 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 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 mostly unchanged – just without Maduro at its helm.

Rodríguez's Shifting Posture

In her first public appearance after Maduro's capture, Rodríguez initially struck a stance of resistance, proclaiming that Venezuela would "never again be any other nation's colony."

However, on Sunday night, after chairing her first cabinet meeting, she adopted 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 extend an invitation the government of the US to work jointly on an cooperative agenda, focused on shared development, within the confines of international law, and that promotes lasting peaceful coexistence," she stated.

An Open Appeal to Trump

Addressing the former US president directly, she wrote: "Mr. Trump: our peoples and our hemisphere 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 nation I believe in and to which I have devoted myself. My aspiration is for Venezuela to become a significant nation where all decent Venezuelans can unite. Venezuela has the right to peace, development, sovereignty and a future," she added.

Contradictory Messages

Despite the conciliatory tone, the Venezuelan government – and Rodríguez herself, via her official channel – later paid tribute to several dozen "Cuban combatants" who were part of Maduro’s personal security and who died "as a consequence of the criminal and infamous 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 innocent civilians," without providing names or a death toll.