Acting president seeks respectful ties with US

CARACAS/NEW YORK — Venezuela's acting president on Sunday offered to collaborate with the United States on an agenda focused on "shared development" as US President Donald Trump demanded "full access" to the South American country's oil.

In a statement posted on social media, Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said her government was prioritizing a move toward respectful relations with the United States, having earlier criticized the raid on Saturday as an "illegal grab" of the country's national resources.

"We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented toward shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence," Rodriguez said. "President Donald Trump, our peoples and our region deserve peace, and dialogue, not war."

Rodriguez, who also serves as oil minister, has long been considered the most pragmatic member of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's inner circle.

Trump had urged Rodriguez to grant the United States "total access", especially to Venezuela's oil resources.

"We need total access. We need access to the oil and to other things in their country that allow us to rebuild their country," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump said he had not spoken directly with Rodriguez, but would do so "at the right time".

Meanwhile, Trump claimed the US was "in charge" of Venezuela and "dealing with the people that just got sworn in".

"Don't ask me who's in charge, because I'll give you an answer, and it'll be very controversial," Trump said. "It means we're in charge. We're in charge."

Trump reiterated comments made earlier on Sunday in a phone interview with The Atlantic, warning that Rodriguez would face a fate worse than that of Maduro if she failed to "do the right thing".

"She will face a situation probably worse than Maduro," Trump said.

However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested on Sunday that the US would not take a dayto-day role in governing Venezuela, a turnaround after Trump announced earlier that the US would be running Venezuela.

More nuanced take

Rubio's statements seemed designed to temper concerns about whether the assertive US action might again produce a prolonged foreign intervention or failed attempt at nation-building.

But Rubio offered a more nuanced take, saying the US would continue to enforce an oil quarantine that is already in place on sanctioned tankers and use that leverage as a means to press policy changes in Venezuela.

"And so that's the sort of control the president is pointing to when he says that," Rubio said on CBS'Face the Nation.

"We continue with that quarantine, and we expect to see that there will be changes, not just in the way the oil industry is run for the benefit of the people, but also so that they stop the drug trafficking."

In New York, Maduro arrived at federal courthouse on Monday to appear in court.

Maduro, 63, faces charges that accuse him of providing support to major drug trafficking groups, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Tren de Aragua gang.

Maduro has denied wrongdoing.

Venezuela's government kept operating as usual over the weekend as ministers remained in their posts.

The capital was unusually quiet on Sunday, with few vehicles moving around and convenience stores, gas stations and other businesses closed.

Maduro's son, lawmaker Nicolas Ernesto Guerra, has not appeared in public since the attack.

On Saturday, he posted on Instagram a government statement repudiating the capture of his father and stepmother.

The country's incoming National Assembly is set to be sworn in at the legislative palace in Caracas. The unicameral assembly will remain under the control of the ruling party.

In a related development, Switzerland has frozen any assets held in the country by Maduro and associates, the Federal Council said on Monday.

The asset freeze does not affect members of the current Venezuelan government, the statement said.

AGENCIES - XINHUA