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The nation's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has offered to work with the United States, dialing back from the defiant rhetoric she initially displayed after the capture of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.

A Statement of Cooperation

In a statement issued Sunday night, Rodríguez stated she had "invited the American administration to work together on an agenda of cooperation."

Her comments came just hours after former 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.

Transition of Power in the Country

Rodríguez has assumed de facto control of Venezuela since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured on Saturday. The pair were transported to New York and are due to appear at a federal court in Manhattan.

She was sworn in as president by the supreme court on Saturday. The next day, the country's armed forces pledged to acknowledge her authority, while still demanding the immediate release of Maduro and his wife.

The Former President's Statements and Strategy

Following the surprising apprehension 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 mentioned that contact had been established with Rodríguez.

On Sunday, he warned that the US might initiate a further action if holdouts of the government do not cooperate with his plans to get the country "fixed."

Trump's actions have entirely sidelined the country's democratic opposition, lead by Nobel laureate María Corina Machado. This tactic has been broadly condemned by analysts who contend that the regime's power structure remains largely intact – simply without Maduro at its head.

Rodríguez's Shifting Position

In her initial address after Maduro's detention, Rodríguez first adopted 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 cooperative stance. Rodríguez released a message stating she considered a "balanced and respectful relationship" with the United States to be a priority.

"We invite the United States government to collaborate on an agenda of cooperation, aimed at shared development, within the framework of international law, and that strengthens enduring peace," she stated.

A Direct Address to Trump

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

"This is the Venezuela I have faith in and to which I have devoted myself. My dream is for Venezuela to become a significant nation where all patriotic 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 several dozen "Cuban security personnel" who were part of Maduro’s security detail and who died "due to the criminal and infamous 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] protection team, military personnel and non-combatants," without providing names or a death toll.