By Anthony Henry, Gleaner Writer
Mrs. Gonzales gesticulates as she speaks. - Ricardo Makyn / Staff Photographer
VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR Rocio Maneiro Gonzales' career came to a full circle when she was given Jamaica as her first assignment in 2000.
Why? When she started her career 20 years ago in the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs as third secretary, her first assignment was to research everything about Jamaica.
"It's like a premonition," she said during an interview at her New Kingston office. "I was happy to come here. I knew everything about Jamaica, its music and its culture."
Furthermore, she said that Jamaica and Venezuela are similar in many respects. "We (Jamaicans and Venezuelans) are musically-inclined. We have a sense of rhythms and harmony on the same level. We share the same sun and we are all Caribbean countries."
The flora and fauna are also similar. "We have the same fruits and vegetables that is here in Jamaica," she added.
She feel at home in Jamaica as her favourite food is popular here. "I love bammy and we make them in Venezuela. Here it is known as bammy but in my country it is 'casaba', made from cassava," Ambassador Gonzales explained.
ADMIRATION FOR THE COUNTRY
Her admiration for the country runs deeper than food even though she loves festival and jerk pork and chicken. She admires the people and the natural resources: "Jamaicans have a personality like no other and the Rastafarian philosophy is splendid."
Ambassador Gonzales is a big fan of Marcus Garvey, whom she said has his mark on almost every continent. "He is a superb intellect; he didn't have the money to go to any fancy school I admire him as one of Ja-maica's assets," she said.
Ambassador Gonzales, whose favourite colour is red and loves gardening, is a fan of the island's beaches. Her two favourite spots: Frenchman's Cove in Portland and Dunn's River Falls in St. Ann. "There are these little fish in water at Frenchman's Cove and the water is clear; I love swimming there," said the Ambassador Gonzales. As for Dunn's River Ralls, Ambassador Gonzales said that she visits there at least four times a month.
Ambassador Gonzales, who has three grown sons, has a pleasant personality and her warm smile can melt the coldest heart. A native of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, she is very dedicated to her job. However, Ambassador Gonzales said that her job is easy because of the good relationship between Jamaica and Venezuela, a relationship that started when Venezuelan hero Simon Bolivar visited Jamaica in 1815. Since then the two countries have collaborated on several projects, from culture to energy. One of the biggest projects is a cultural exchange programme. A symbol of that programme is the 30-year-old Venezuelan Institute of Culture and Co-operation.
