Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez has ended a brief visit to Grenada, coinciding with the 49th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries.
“Today’s visit provided an opportunity to strengthen diplomatic ties, explore areas of mutual interest, and continue fostering partnerships that support development and cooperation,” according to a government statement issued here (9 April).
Rodríguez’s visit was her first official state visit to another country following the United States invasion of the South American country in January that resulted in the removal of President Nicolas Maduro.
A government statement here said that Rodríguez paid a courtesy call on Governor-General Dame Cécile Ellen Fleurette La Grenade before meeting with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and members of his cabinet. The statement said a “joint communiqué will be shared at the end of the engagement with Cabinet” but it has not yet been released.
Rodríguez was sworn in as the acting president of Venezuela on 5 January 2026, following the removal and detention of Nicolas Maduro by US forces on 3 January 2026. As the former executive vice president, she assumed leadership, promising to ensure peace while signalling a potential shift in relations with Washington.
Prior to the US invasion of the country, Grenada had not approved the request from Washington to install a military radar at Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA), citing ongoing technical assessments, safety concerns, and potential violations of regional sovereignty.
Grenadians had also taken to the streets in a peaceful protest, urging the government to block the US request.
Her visit also comes at a time when Caribbean countries are facing increasing pressure from United States President Donald Trump on a number of fronts, including their longstanding relationship with Cuba.
Rodriguez has bowed to pressure from Washington to withhold oil supplies to Cuba and has taken measures to remove Cuban professionals from Caracas.
Prime Minister Mitchell, speaking at a brief news conference with Rodriquez, acknowledged that this is her first visit outside of Venezuela since the US military action, “so we certainly wish to thank and express our gratitude for choosing Grenada to make that first stop.
“Our discussions this afternoon focus exclusively on strengthening the bilateral cooperation between Grenada and Venezuela,” Mitchell said, adding, “we engaged in a number of cross-cutting areas, ranging from energy, agriculture, education, trade, tourism, transport, and logistics.
“We intend to take action on many of those items by having dedicated local groups from both Grenada and on Venezuela’s side,” Mitchell said, adding, “and so we are quite happy with the outcome of this working meeting, and we look forward to actioning and implementing those areas for the benefit of the Venezuelan and the people of Grenada”.
Mitchell told reporters that while he will “naturally allow” Rodriquez to “make a few remarks” but added “we will take questions (and) the questions will be solely on the discussions that we have in terms of bilateral relations.”
In her brief remarks to the media, Rodriquez said she and members of her delegation “are so happy to be in Grenada. “As you mentioned, this, indeed, my first international travel since assuming the office, and I am truly honoured to be welcomed here by you and your administration. The history of Grenada is a true example to the peoples of the Caribbean and Latin America that, overcoming all difficulties, persevered in their self-determination and sovereignty.”
She told reporters that she is “truly happy with regards to our working meeting today, because it allowed us to update the roadmap we established last year, working together with President Maduro. “I am truly happy that we can look forward to strengthening areas of cooperation, such as education, also, with regards to science, to energy, to education, and to hydrocarbons.
“And this will allow us to have Grenadian students in Venezuela and do an exchange of teachers coming from Venezuela to Grenada, and also to welcome teachers from Grenada to Venezuela.”
Rodriquez said the meeting also discussed maritime and air transportation, “which will allow us to work on a route of foreign trade between our countries…but also including other nations in the Caribbean.”
She said with regards to food production, “We have shared with you the experience we have of a communal economy in Venezuela, and we also touched on the issue of borders, maritime borders between our 2 nations,” Rodriquez added.
CMC
