Venezuela's acting president invites U.S. government to work toward cooperative agenda

Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodriguez on Sunday invited the U.S. government to work toward a cooperative agenda for shared development and lasting coexistence between the two countries, after she assumed her current role following President Nicolas Maduro's capture in a large-scale U.S. military operation on Saturday.

In a message posted on social media, Rodriguez said Venezuela reaffirms "its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence."

"Our country aspires to live without external threats, in an environment of respect and international cooperation. We believe that global peace is built by first guaranteeing peace within each nation," she said.

"We prioritize moving towards balanced and respectful international relations between the United States and Venezuela, and between Venezuela and other countries in the region, premised on sovereign equality and non-interference. These principles guide our diplomacy with the rest of the world," Rodriguez continued.

"We invite the U.S. government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence," she said.

Rodriguez appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump, stressing that Venezuelans and the region "deserve peace and dialogue, not war."

"Venezuela has the right to peace, development, sovereignty and a future," she said.

President Maduro and his wife were captured and taken out of Venezuela to the United States in a dramatic, pre-dawn U.S. raid on Saturday that has drawn worldwide condemnation and concern.

Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice ordered late Saturday that Rodriguez assume the role of acting president of the country in the absence of Maduro. Earlier on Sunday, Trump threatened that Rodriguez could "pay a very big price, probably bigger than" that of Maduro, if she continued to refuse cooperation with the United States.

The United Nations Security Council has announced an emergency meeting for Monday on the U.S. actions in Venezuela.

Venezuela's acting president invites U.S. government to work toward cooperative agenda

The Presidents of Colombia and Mexico have expressed firm opposition to U.S. threats of military intervention in their countries following a recent U.S. military operation that seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Colombian President Gustavo Petro Sunday night, saying Petro "is not going to be doing it for very long."

When asked about the possibility of a U.S. military operation against Colombia, Trump replied, "It sounds good to me."

Trump told reporters on Air Force One that Colombia, which borders Venezuela, is "run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,"

In response, Petro has defended his government's track record on fighting drug trafficking and says he is ready to take up arms in the face of Trump's threats.

Trump has also targeted Mexico, saying the country is run by drug cartels.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday rejected the possibility of U.S. intervention in Mexico to combat drug cartels, stressing the importance of maintaining national sovereignty and strengthening the country's unity.

During her usual daily press conference, Sheinbaum dismissed the need for talks with Trump, who has repeatedly suggested sending U.S. troops to Mexico to combat drug trafficking.

Any security cooperation must be based on mutual respect, national sovereignty, and collaboration without subordination, she stressed.

Colombia, Mexico firmly oppose US military intervention threats