Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—On Monday, Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced the Venezuela Alimenta plan at the FAO World Food Forum in Rome. Subsequently, she held bilateral meetings with the presidents of Angola and the Dominican Republic. The Venezuela Alimenta plan seeks to strengthen national food production and distribution as Venezuela works to overcome the damage caused by illegal US sanctions and to eradicate hunger.Arrival and reception in RomeRodríguez arrived in the Italian capital on Sunday, October 11, ahead of her participation in the forum the following morning. The gathering runs through October 16. Upon arrival, she thanked the host country and reiterated Venezuela’s position that access to food is a fundamental human right.Her arrival prompted discussion on social media, where some accounts portrayed the absence of Italian presidential honors or a reception by senior Italian officials as a diplomatic snub. Those claims confused participation in a multilateral gathering with a state visit: Rodríguez traveled to attend an event convened by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) rather than a bilateral state visit hosted by Italy’s presidency.On Monday morning, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu received Rodríguez at the organization’s headquarters, according to press releases by the Venezuelan administration.Food production, communes, and sanctionsDuring her address, Rodríguez announced Venezuela Alimenta, a plan to connect the country’s food-production processes with social distribution networks and advance toward eliminating hunger.She also said she would submit a bill on Venezuela’s economy to the National Assembly in the coming days. According to Últimas Noticias, the proposed legislation would link communal and community production, small enterprises, and the larger agroindustrial sector. This would give the productive activity of communal economy an explicit place in the Venezuelan food-supply strategy.Rodríguez condemned the impact of US unilateral coercive measures on Venezuela’s agricultural production, particularly restrictions on international financing and access to seeds, machinery, spare parts and technology. She said the sanctions intensified the country’s supply difficulties from 2017 onward, obstructing the resources needed to maintain productive chains.She also said domestic dialogue and “diplomatic talks” with the United States had contributed to the political stability needed for production and economic recovery, according to mainstream media coverage of her speech.Citing figures she attributed to the FAO, Rodríguez reported that the prevalence of undernourishment in Venezuela had declined from 5.3% in 2025 to 3% in 2026. She thanked the FAO and the World Food Programme for assistance following the June 24 earthquakes and highlighted the FAO’s recognition of Venezuelan farmer María Cantalicia Torres, a guardian of native potato seeds in the Andes region of Venezuela.Her speech also addressed global hunger and the effects of economic blockades and wars on access to food nationwide. She cited famine in Gaza and Sudan, calling for an end to coercive measures that undermine peoples’ right to life and food.Meetings with Angola and the Dominican RepublicAfter her address, Rodríguez met Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço. The delegations reviewed cooperation in agricultural production, sustainable trade, food security, and food sovereignty, according to Últimas Noticias’ account of the bilateral agenda.She subsequently met Luis Abinader, president of the Dominican Republic. They discussed economic and cultural cooperation, food security, and agricultural practices adapted to climate change.The Dominican Republic’s presidency reported that the talks also covered possible direct purchases of Venezuelan petroleum products, specifically AC30 asphalt and liquefied petroleum gas. PDVSA and the Dominican Republic’s Petroleum Refinery, Refidomsa, will discuss the details.Neither side announced a finalized purchase agreement. The talks also come against the backdrop of a longstanding dispute over unpaid debt for oil supplied through Petrocaribe, the Venezuelan-led cooperation program undermined by illegal US sanctions. In September 2024, Venezuela demanded repayment of approximately US $350 million for petroleum products provided to the Dominican Republic, while official records of the Dominican Republic acknowledged US $214.3 million owed to Venezuelan creditors. Neither country’s account of the Rome meeting disclosed whether repayment was discussed.The leaders reviewed the restoration of consular services. The Dominican Republic’s consulate in Caracas recently reopened after more than two years, while Rodríguez said Venezuela would soon designate a consul to attend to its citizens in Santo Domingo.The meeting followed a diplomatic rupture in 2024, when Abinader’s administration challenged the results of Venezuela’s presidential election. According to analysts, this diplomatic rupture was carried out according to US instructions. Renewed consular attention and the proposed energy cooperation represent concrete steps toward restoring bilateral relations.Acting President Delcy Rodríguez Arrives in Rome for FAO World Forum (+Presidential Aircraft)Rodríguez also thanked the Dominican Republic for its assistance after the June earthquakes, noting that rescue personnel and doctors from the Dominican Republic were among the first foreign teams to arrive. She expressed interest in expanding tourism cooperation and congratulated Abinader on his country’s progress against hunger. Special for Orinoco Tribune by staffOT/JRE/SL