Acting Venezuela President Delcy Rodríguez has chosen Grenada as the first country she has visited since taking office, signalling that ties between Caracas and the Caribbean remain strong.

Rodríguez and a Venezuelan delegation arrived at the Maurice Bishop International Airport on April 9, where they were greeted by senior Grenadian officials.

She met with Governor-General Dame Cécile La Grenade before holding talks with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.

Prior to the meeting, no official agenda was released. 

However, a report by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) said a statement from Grenada’s government indicated that a joint communiqué would be issued following discussions with Cabinet.

In a social media post, the Prime Minister’s Office said the visit was aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties and exploring areas of cooperation.

Venezuela has historically maintained close relationships with several Caribbean countries, particularly through the PetroCaribe programme which supplied oil on concessional terms.

Speaking to the media after the talks, Rodríguez said the engagement with Grenada was just the beginning, noting that she hopes to expand discussions to include other Caribbean nations.

A report in Guyana’s Demerara Waves said the leaders did not outline specific plans, but Rodríguez pointed to areas such as education, healthcare, maritime and air transport, food production, hydrocarbons, and regional trade as possible areas for cooperation.

The same report said Rodríguez also spoke about Venezuela pursuing new avenues of cooperation with the United States, expressing hope that the region could move forward collectively.

She also criticised sanctions against Venezuela and Cuba, saying they have negatively affected both populations. Rodríguez added that Venezuela’s relationship with Cuba remains unchanged and called for an end to the measures.