(Trinidad Guardian) – T&T and Venezuela will soon sign a pact to increase trade in energy products and to develop the oil and gas sectors of both countries. “Energy matters are high on the agenda between Trinidad and Venezuela so that closer ties can be formed between T&T and Venezuela,” says Maria Eugenia Marcano Casado, Venezuela ambassador to T&T.

Speaking with reporters after the ribbon-cutting ceremony to re-activate Aeropostal Airlines’ Port-of-Spain to Caracas route, Ambassador Casado confirmed that Venezuela is expected to sign an energy treaty soon, but she did not disclose when details of the treaty will be revealed, or provide a more specific timeframe for the signing.

She said another sector that is getting the attention of her embassy is tourism, and it will involve working with various communities in T&T. “We love to work with the community. The T&T people are great to work with,” Casado said. She expressed confidence that the ties would deepen further through the re-activation of the Port-of-Spain-Caracas route. “In this bi-centennial year of our independence, Venezuela chose T&T as the first important point, to open the international route. “We expect not only passenger but also cargo between the two countries would increase in the near future,” the ambassador said.

She said when she first came to T&T last year, Venezuela had two companies working in transportation and this will be the third company that is widening their operations here. The Ambassador said Aeropostal airlines would fly from Port-of-Spain to the Venezuelan airport and from there passengers can access pertinent areas of Venezuela. She has a determined goal to improve and foster the relationship between the two countries. “Here in T&T we have a Venezuela Institute of Culture and Cooperation and daily we have about 150 Trinidadians taking Spanish classes,” Ambassador Casado added.