Caracas Blinks: Rodríguez Pivots to 'Cooperation' to Stave Off Imminent U.S. Strikes

CARACAS — Caracas has effectively blinked.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s formal invitation for the United States to "collaborate on an agenda of cooperation" is being read by intelligence analysts not as a diplomatic olive branch, but as a frantic attempt to forestall a second wave of U.S. military action.

Released Monday, the statement represents a harsh pivot from the ruling party’s historical defiance. Rodríguez’s stated aspiration to "live without external threats" directly addresses the U.S. military posture following Saturday’s "Operation Absolute Resolve," which resulted in the extraction of Nicolás Maduro to U.S. custody.

For market observers tracking the probability of kinetic escalation—specifically the risk of U.S. drone or missile strikes targeting regime infrastructure later this week (Jan. 10–12)—this signals a rapid shift toward survival politics. President Donald Trump has explicitly warned Rodríguez that failure to facilitate a transition would yield consequences "worse than Maduro."

By invoking "sovereign equality" and "coexistence," the interim leadership is attempting to buy time and position itself for a negotiated settlement. While U.S. forces remain postured for contingencies, this opening reduces the immediate likelihood of tactical strikes on Venezuelan soil, potentially widening the window for a formal ceasefire agreement before the January 31 deadline.

However, the risk premium remains high. Washington has demanded "total access" to facilitate the transition. If this overture is perceived as a delaying tactic rather than a step toward capitulation, the pause in hostilities will likely be short-lived. Rodríguez is negotiating at gunpoint, and the U.S. has signaled it is ready to pull the trigger again.