Venezuela's interim leader changes rhetoric after Trump's warnings

Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, has adopted a more conciliatory stance after US President Donald Trump issued a warning to her following her previous criticism of US operations and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, UNN reports, citing Axios.

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President Trump, after her comments, stated on Sunday that the US could launch a second strike on Venezuela if "they don't behave properly."

"We're dealing with people who just took an oath. Don't ask me who's in charge, because I'll give you an answer, and it will be very controversial," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

When asked what that meant, Trump replied, "We're in charge."

Trump stated on Saturday that Rodriguez was "gracious" during a conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and told him that Venezuelan officials "will do whatever you need."

However, later on Saturday, Rodriguez pledged in a televised address that Venezuela "will never return to the status of a colony of another empire."

This prompted Trump to tell The Atlantic on Sunday: "If she doesn't do what's right, she'll pay a very heavy price, probably heavier than Maduro."

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Following these comments, Rodriguez called on American officials to cooperate with Caracas.

"We invite the US government to work together on a cooperation agenda focused on joint development, within the framework of international law and strengthening the strong coexistence of communities," Rodriguez wrote on Telegram.

"President Donald Trump: our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war. This has always been President Nicolas Maduro's message, and now it is the message of all Venezuela," she said.

"Venezuela has the right to peace, to development, to sovereignty, and to a future," added Rodriguez, who was Venezuela's vice president before the US took Maduro into custody on charges including narcoterrorism.

When Trump was asked what he needed from Rodriguez, he told reporters on Sunday: "We need full access. We need access to oil and other things in their country that will allow us to rebuild their country."

During a phone interview with The Atlantic, the US president stated that "rebuilding there and regime change, whatever you want to call it, is better than what you have now" in Venezuela. "It can't get any worse," he added.

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