🔗 Share this article Trinidad and Tobago Provides US Military Use to Its Airports As Rising Tensions with Venezuela Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed it will permit the United States military to utilize its airports in the near future. This development follows heightening strained relations between the US and nearby Venezuela. New Defense System Sparks Debate The news comes after the installation of a sophisticated radar system at an airport in Tobago. Caribbean authorities have insisted the radar's intended role is for fighting illegal operations, asserting it is not a springboard for military strikes against any nation. Government opponents caution, however, that the partnership could draw Trinidad and Tobago into former President Donald Trump's intensifying pressure campaign against Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro. Nature of Access and Government Explanation According to a ministry statement, US operations at the airports would be “logistical in nature”, facilitating stocking provisions and standard troop rotations. Officials offered no specifics regarding the scope. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has in the past supported US operations targeting alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, actions that have allegedly led to multiple deaths, among them a number of Trinidadian citizens. Earlier Statements and Subsequent Revelations Initially, Persad-Bissessar claimed a US C-17 aircraft that landed in Tobago was carrying marines to assist with a civilian road construction project. However, after images surfaced of the defense system, she acknowledged that at least 100 marines were present in the country, along with the powerful radar. This system, believed to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is described as air surveillance, air defense, and counter-fire capabilities. Proximity and Geography Trinidad and Tobago lies a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their closest point. It has main 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 increased military pressure on Venezuela. In related developments, US lawmakers have expressed doubts about the legality of the recent maritime strikes and have announced a congressional review.