PORT OF SPAIN: 13TH MAY 2022
On May 4th, 2022, Ms. Reita Toussaint, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, received His Excellency Álvaro Enrique Sánchez Cordero, Ambassador-designate of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, in advance of presenting his Letters of Credence to Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes O.R.T.T., President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Ms. Toussaint extended congratulations to Ambassador Sánchez on behalf of Senator the Honourable Dr. Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, who was on official overseas travel, and conveyed hope for further deepening and strengthening of the bilateral relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela during the Ambassador’s tour of duty in Trinidad and Tobago.
Ambassador Sánchez thanked the Permanent Secretary for her kind sentiments and shared that the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela looks forward to building on the foundation of friendship and solidarity which has existed for centuries between both countries. He further identified energy, fishing, migration, security and trade, in addition to culture and education, as several of the priority areas for enhanced engagement with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
On the subject of education, the Ambassador indicated that there is interest in reinvigorating the Spanish language programme at the Venezuelan Andrés Bello Institute for Culture and Cooperation, along with plans to craft education programmes specific to the needs identified by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
The meeting concluded with a reflection on the shared cultural expressions between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela and an undertaking to work together to build upon the close diplomatic and people-to-people linkages between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
