(NewsNation) — Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez struck a more conciliatory tone Sunday and invited the United States to “collaborate” with the South American country after President Donald Trump warned she could face a grimmer future than her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, if she defies Washington.
Rodriguez on Saturday had demanded the return of Maduro after U.S. forces snatched the leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Caracas, Venezuela, to face drug-related charges in New York. In an English-language Instagram post on Sunday, Rodriguez took a different tack.
“Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence,” the post said, in part. “We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation. … President Donald Trump, our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war.”
She added that her country has the “right to peace, development, sovereignty and a future.”
Trump told The Atlantic over the weekend that Rodriguez ran the risk of paying “a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” if she did not do “what’s right” — presumably, go along with the U.S. president’s stated goals of revamping the country’s oil industry with help from U.S. companies and eventually handing the country’s reins to new leaders.
In a question-and-answer session with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Sunday evening that his administration had been in contact with Rodriguez’s office. He said that “at the right time” he would be interested in speaking with Rodriguez directly.
“Don’t ask me who’s in charge because I’ll give you an answer, and it’ll be very controversial. … We’re in charge,” Trump said.
Rodriguez was sworn in as the country’s president on Monday. Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been speaking with Rodriguez “fluently” in Spanish and that the two have a “strong relationship.”
I swear with sorrow over the kidnapping of two heroes who are now being held hostage in the United States of America: President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
I swear that I will give no rest to my arm nor peace to my soul until I see Venezuela reach its rightful destiny, on the pedestal of historical honor, as a free, sovereign, and independent nation. In national unity, let us work together as one Venezuela, from all sectors, for the peace, economic stability, and social well-being of our people!
Monday statement from Rodriguez
Venezuela will not have new elections in next 30 days: Trump
President Trump said in an interview on Monday that the U.S. needs to “nurse Venezuela back to health” before the country holds an election.
“We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election. There’s no way the people could even vote,” he said. “No, it’s going to take a period of time. We have — we have to nurse the country back to health.”
The commander in chief added Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Stephen Miller, and Vice President JD Vance will help oversee the U.S. involvement in Venezuela.
“It’s a group of all. They have all expertise, different expertise,” Trump stated.
Trump open to supporting oil companies build up Venezuela’s infrastructure
He also acknowledged that the U.S. may subsidize efforts by oil companies to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, which could take less than 18 months.
“I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money,” the president said. “A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue.”
US running Venezuela: Stephen Miller
Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Miller, told NewsNation on Monday the U.S. is running the Caribbean nation.
In the press conference after Maduro’s capture, Trump stated that the U.S. and an unnamed group will be in charge of operations for the time being.
“We’re going to make sure it’s run properly,” Trump said. “We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It’ll be paid for by the oil companies directly. They will be reimbursed for what they are doing.”
No indication US troops leaving Caribbean
Even with Maduro’s capture, the U.S. has not indicated any plans its troops would leave the Caribbean.
There are 15,000 troops stationed around the area, which provides the U.S. with the firepower to effectively control the situation in Venezuela, no matter who ultimately is in power.
Trump did also acknowledge that U.S. troops might be on the ground in Venezuela.
“We’re designating people, we’re talking to people. We’re designating various people, and we’re going to let you know who they are,” he said.
Maduro’s capture could create possible power vacuum
One situation to keep an eye on with Maduro’s capture is a potential power vacuum that could take hold in Venezuela.
Venezuela’s most powerful entity is the military, which has been headed up by the defense minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez. Lopez has been with Maduro’s side pretty much since the beginning of his regime.
Lopez remains defiant, insisting they will resist the United States.