The Caribbean Nation Grants US Military Use to Its Airports As Growing Strains with Venezuela
Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has announced it will permit the United States military to access its airports in coming weeks. This move follows increasing regional tensions between the US and nearby Venezuela.
Radar Installation Sparks Debate
This announcement comes after the installation of a sophisticated radar system at an airport in Tobago. Caribbean authorities state the radar's sole use is for fighting local criminal activity, stressing it will not be a springboard for military strikes against another country.
Skeptics argue, however, that this cooperation could draw Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's intensifying efforts against Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro.
Nature of Access and Official Statements
In a ministry statement, US activities at the airports would be for logistical support, enabling supply replenishment and standard troop rotations. The government offered no specifics regarding the scope.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has in the past praised US operations targeting suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, strikes that have allegedly led to multiple fatalities, among them a number of Trinidadian citizens.
Earlier Statements and Subsequent Revelations
Initially, Persad-Bissessar said a US C-17 aircraft arriving in Tobago was transporting marines to support a civilian road construction project. Yet, after images surfaced of the radar installation, she conceded that at least 100 marines were on the ground in the country, accompanied by the high-performance radar.
The radar, believed to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is marketed as air surveillance, defense, and artillery detection capabilities.
Proximity and Geography
The twin-island nation lies a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their narrowest separation. The country has two primary airports: Piarco International in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International in Tobago.
This development follows a previous incident in October, when a US naval vessel was stationed in Trinidad's capital, signaling the Trump administration's increased military posture on Venezuela.
Meanwhile, US lawmakers have raised questions about the legality of the aforementioned maritime strikes and have called for a formal investigation.
