🔗 Share this article Trinidad and Tobago Grants US Military Use to Its Airports Amid Escalating Strains with Venezuela The government of Trinidad and Tobago has stated it will permit the United States military to operate from its airports in the near future. This development follows heightening strained relations between the US and nearby Venezuela. New Defense System Raises Questions This statement follows the recent setup of a sophisticated radar system at an airport in Tobago. Caribbean officials have insisted the radar's intended role is for fighting illegal operations, stressing it will not be a springboard for offensive actions against another country. Government opponents warn, however, that this cooperation risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's broader pressure campaign against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Scope of Agreement and Official Statements According to a foreign affairs statement, US activities at the airports would be “logistical in nature”, assisting with resupply efforts and standard troop rotations. Officials did not elaborate regarding the scope. The nation's leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has in the past supported US operations targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, strikes that have allegedly led to numerous deaths, among them several Trinidadian citizens. Initial Claims and Subsequent Revelations At first, Persad-Bissessar stated a US C-17 aircraft that landed in Tobago was carrying marines to help on a civilian road construction project. Yet, when pictures emerged of the radar installation, she acknowledged that at least 100 marines were stationed in the country, along with the high-performance radar. The radar, thought to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is marketed as aerial monitoring, defense, and artillery detection operations. Proximity and Geography Trinidad and Tobago lies a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their closest point. It has two primary international gateways: Piarco International in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International in Tobago. This development comes after a prior event in October, when a US naval vessel was stationed in Trinidad's capital, as part of the Trump administration's growing military pressure towards Venezuela. In related developments, US lawmakers have raised questions about the lawfulness of the aforementioned maritime strikes and have called for a congressional review.