In Brief
Persona grata restored: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has been declared persona grata in Venezuela, reversing an October 2025 decision by Caracas to declare her persona non grata.
High-level meeting: The announcement followed a meeting between Persad-Bissessar and Venezuela’s Interim President Delcy Rodríguez Gómez in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
New era pledged: Both leaders described the meeting as ‘cordial’ and signalling the start of a new era in bilateral relations, reaffirming historic ties of friendship and cooperation.
Wide-ranging cooperation agenda: The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade, energy, security, disaster risk management, agriculture, tourism, air connectivity and culture.
Reversal from tensions: The move marks a turnaround from October 2025, when Venezuela’s National Assembly declared Persad-Bissessar persona non grata over her Government’s decision to allow US military exercises in Trinidad and Tobago.
By Prior Beharry
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has been declared persona grata in Venezuela, reversing a decision by Caracas last October to declare her persona non grata.
The announcement came in a joint communiqué issued after she met on Wednesday with Interim President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez Gómez at the Permanent Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The communiqué said the two leaders held a cordial working meeting, “heralding the beginning of a new era in bilateral relations.”
They reaffirmed the historical bonds of friendship and cooperation between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, and committed to consolidating the bilateral agenda under the principles of mutual respect, sovereignty, good neighbourliness, dialogue and cooperation.
The leaders agreed on a work agenda aimed at strengthening exchange and mutual benefit in the areas of trade, energy, security, disaster risk management, environmental protection, agriculture, tourism, air connectivity and culture.
Rodríguez Gómez reiterated Venezuela’s gratitude to the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago for expressions of solidarity following the earthquakes of 24 June 2026.
To maintain a direct consultation mechanism at the highest level, both leaders agreed to pay official visits to Caracas and Port of Spain. The Venezuelan side indicated that the Prime Minister was indeed persona grata in Venezuela.
The communiqué added that they ratified their determination to continue promoting friendship, good neighbourliness, trust and cooperation, aimed at generating concrete opportunities for development and well-being for both peoples, and contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean.
The declaration marks reversal from 28 October 2025, when Venezuela’s National Assembly declared Persad-Bissessar persona non grata amid heightened tensions between Caracas and Port of Spain.
That move was linked to Venezuela’s opposition to US military exercises in Trinidad and Tobago, with Caracas accusing Persad-Bissessar of adopting what it described as a “war-mongering” position by allowing the exercises, which it viewed as a threat to Venezuela.
The Venezuelan legislature had also called on the Trinidad and Tobago Government to distance itself from what it described as military provocations in the Caribbean.
