Trinidad and Tobago Grants US Military Use to National Airfields As Growing Tensions with Venezuela
Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed it will authorize the United States military to access its airports in coming weeks. This decision comes as heightening regional tensions between the US and nearby Venezuela.
Radar Installation Raises Questions
This statement comes after the setup of a advanced radar system at an airport in Tobago. National authorities maintain the radar's sole use is for fighting illegal operations, asserting it is not a launchpad for military strikes against another country.
Critics and opposition figures argue, however, that this cooperation risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's ongoing pressure campaign against Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro.
Nature of Access and Government Explanation
In a ministry statement, US operations at the airports would be focused on logistics, enabling stocking provisions and regular staff changes. Officials did not elaborate on the matter.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has previously commended US airstrikes targeting suspected drug ships in the Caribbean and Pacific, strikes that have allegedly led to numerous fatalities, among them a number of 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 support a civilian road construction project. However, after images surfaced of the radar installation, she admitted that no fewer than 100 marines were present in the country, along with the powerful radar.
The radar, believed to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is marketed as aerial monitoring, air defense, and counter-fire capabilities.
Proximity and Geography
Trinidad and Tobago 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 warship was stationed in Trinidad's capital, as part of the Trump administration's increased military pressure on Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Congressional representatives have expressed doubts about the legality of the aforementioned maritime strikes and have called for a congressional review.
