Barbados and Venezuela consolidate strategic alliance for food sovereignty and cultural integration

Published at: 27/04/2026 05:14 PM

As part of the visit of the President in charge of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, to Barbados to strengthen bilateral relations, the Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, stressed that cooperation between the two nations does not start from scratch, but is built on a solid foundation established since her last visit to Caracas.

The president pointed out that, in the face of the inflationary crisis and global logistical challenges, Venezuela has demonstrated significant progress in its food sovereignty, positioning itself as a key ally for the Caribbean and she affirmed that the Bolivarian nation is in a position to help the region in terms of food prices, recognizing its capacity to produce a wide range of essential items.

The work agenda prioritized the expansion of agro-processing capacities and export trade. Mottley expressed Barbados's interest in taking advantage of the Venezuelan offer to work directly on continental soils, recognizing that production possibilities in Venezuela are much wider than those on the island.

He also stressed the commitment to optimize logistics transport: “We are committed to ensuring that the planes and ships that arrive here do not return empty, but with products that benefit both peoples,” said the Barbadian president.

An innovative point of the meeting was the proposal of linguistic integration as an engine of economic development. The Prime Minister described it as “critical” to establish Spanish as a second language in Barbados, given that it is the predominant language in the region and facilitates the movement of people.

He explained that his goal is for young people under 18, as well as farmers and merchants, to receive training so that they can do business in the language and get ahead, simultaneously offering Venezuelans the opportunity to learn English to strengthen their competitiveness in international trade.

Mottley confirmed his willingness to find common ground on the topics discussed in the Venezuelan capital, focusing on providing the population with access to more varied and healthy food. He reiterated that this cooperation is vital to face the price increases affecting the region, and that fluid communication will be the definitive bridge for mutual growth.

He concluded by stressing that mutual support in areas of training and production is the way for both peoples to prosper without the limitations imposed by current global difficulties.

Mazo News Team