The prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, announced that her government will formalize an approach with the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, next week, with the aim of re-establishing bilateral relations. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.The logistical preparations for this high-level meeting are already complete, according to statements made by the prime minister to the media.“The preparations have already been finalized. We plan to meet at the end of next week,” she declared, outlining the expectations surrounding this bilateral meeting that will mark a diplomatic turning point.Bases of cooperationThe path to this dialogue was built through conversations held in Venezuela by the foreign minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Sean Sobers, with his Venezuelan counterpart, Félix Plasencia.During the meeting, the two delegations structured a work agenda focused on priority areas such as commercial activity, agriculture, environmental protection, culture, and border security.The interest in strengthening ties has been openly expressed by the Trinidadian prime minister on several occasions, even enthusiastically stating her willingness to approach the Venezuelan acting president. “I am very much looking forward to meeting with her,” Persad-Bissessar declared last week when referring to the Venezuelan acting head of state, demonstrating a tone of cordiality ahead of the summit.Oil and gas interestThe energy component will occupy a central place in the possible rapprochement, due to the shared interests in the oil and gas deposits located in the common maritime border. Both Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela have maintained joint projects in strategic reserves such as the Dragon field and the Loran-Manatee deposit.The minister of Energy of Trinidad and Tobago, Roodal Moonilal, said that the Trinidadian government prioritizes the safeguarding of its economic interests and the continuation of talks about resources on Venezuelan soil. In this regard, he highlighted the need to reach bilateral agreements that would guarantee the stability of the regional energy supply.Trinidad and Tobago FM Arrives in Venezuela on Official Visit (+US Kidnapping of President Maduro)Overcoming diplomatic tensionsBilateral relations between the two countries have been deteriorating since last year, after the Venezuelan National Assembly declared Persad-Bissessar as persona non grata on October 28, 2025, following her support for US military presence in the Caribbean region and the US extrajudicial killings of fishers in the Caribbean Sea with the excuse of them being drug traffickers. Despite these precedents and the US military invasion of Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which Persad-Bissessar praised, she downplayed these instances by stating that “honestly, I am not worried about it.”The governments of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago signed a joint declaration on September 3 to redefine their relations under the principles of mutual respect and good neighborliness.Through the upcoming meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the two countries would try to create a permanent communication mechanism aimed at strengthening integration and mutual economic development. (Últimas Noticias)Translation: Orinoco TribuneOT/SC/CD