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Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has made an image of her warm embrace with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy RodrÃguez her Facebook cover photo, following a significant thaw in relations between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. The photograph shows Persad-Bissessar and RodrÃguez smiling together following their meeting in New York, presenting a dramatically different picture from the tensions that had surrounded relations between Port of Spain and Caracas. The meeting represented a major diplomatic turnaround. Persad-Bissessar had previously been declared persona non grata by Venezuela’s National Assembly, but following talks between the two leaders, Venezuela confirmed that the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister was now considered persona grata. Both sides have since spoken positively about rebuilding their relationship and strengthening cooperation between the neighbouring countries. Persad-Bissessar described her meeting with RodrÃguez as emotional and said the two women bonded during their discussions. She also accepted an invitation to visit Venezuela as both governments signalled their intention to continue direct dialogue. The decision to make their photograph her Facebook cover image adds another symbolic moment to the changing relationship. After months of tension, the smiling photograph and warm embrace now provide a visible representation of renewed engagement between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, with both sides looking towards closer cooperation and improved relations.
