Barbados PM meets Venezuela’s acting president

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has arrived in Venezuela for talks with acting President Delcy Rodríguez, with both governments seeking closer cooperation in energy, food security, trade, tourism and education.

Mottley said the discussions are intended to produce practical benefits for Barbadians, including improved energy and food security, new opportunities for farmers, fishers and businesses, and stronger links in tourism and trade.

She also pointed to possible scholarships, language training and exchanges involving music, energy and fisheries. “From the outset our focus was on our people and the possibilities we can create for them,” Mottley said.

The prime minister framed the visit as part of a relationship that has already demonstrated humanitarian value. After twin earthquakes struck Venezuela in June, killing thousands, Barbados sent rescue workers, medical teams, humanitarian supplies and a field hospital to Guarenas, she noted.

Mottley said any agreements made by the two countries should translate into tangible improvements at home—such as more choices for young people, expanded markets for producers and greater security for Barbadian households.

Rodríguez previously made a two-day visit to Barbados in April, when she and Mottley discussed regional cooperation on food security and energy. That trip was Rodríguez’s first to Barbados since taking office in January; she had also traveled to Grenada earlier in April as part of Venezuela’s regional cooperation agenda.

The talks signal an effort by both countries to turn diplomatic engagement into economic and social opportunities for their citizens.[antiguantrumpet]