Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has made a significant diplomatic pivot, publicly inviting the United States to collaborate just hours after former US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning that she could face severe consequences.
A Swift Change in Tone
In a statement released late on Sunday, 10 March 2025, Rodríguez struck a conciliatory note, marking a clear shift from her initial defiant stance. The move follows the dramatic capture of the country's former leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, on Saturday. The couple were taken to New York and are scheduled to appear in a federal court in Manhattan.
"We extend an invitation to the government of the US to work jointly on an agenda of cooperation," Rodríguez stated, emphasising a desire for a "balanced and respectful" relationship within the framework of international law.
Trump's Threats and the Power Transition
Rodríguez's overture came directly after Donald Trump declared that she could "pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro" if she did not comply with his demands. Trump had previously asserted that the US would now "run" Venezuela to oversee a transition, claiming Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in contact with Rodríguez.
Despite the external pressure, Rodríguez has consolidated domestic power. She was sworn in by the supreme court on Saturday, and the following day, the heads of Venezuela's armed forces agreed to recognise her authority, albeit while demanding Maduro's release.
Analysis: A Delicate Balancing Act
This rapid sequence of events has effectively sidelined Venezuela's democratic opposition, led by Nobel laureate María Corina Machado. Analysts warn that while Maduro is gone, the regime's underlying power structure remains intact under Rodríguez's interim leadership.
Her challenge is to navigate between Trump's uncompromising demands and maintaining sovereignty and support at home. In her first public appearance after Maduro's capture, she vowed Venezuela would "never again be anyone's colony". The subsequent call for cooperation suggests a pragmatic, if precarious, strategy.
Underlying Tensions and Casualties
Beneath the diplomatic language, tensions remain high. The Venezuelan government later paid tribute to 32 "Cuban combatants" from Maduro's security detail who died during the operation. Defence Minister General Vladímir Padrino López accused US troops of a "cold-blooded" assault, with reports suggesting a death toll of around 80 people.
Addressing Trump directly, Rodríguez's statement concluded: "President Donald Trump: our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war... Venezuela has the right to peace, development, sovereignty and a future." The coming days will test whether this fragile dialogue can hold.
