🔗 Share this article Trinidad and Tobago Grants US Military Access to National Airfields Amid Rising Tensions with Venezuela The government of Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed it will authorize the United States military to utilize its airports shortly. This move follows mounting strained relations between the US and nearby Venezuela. New Defense System Fuels Controversy This statement follows the recent setup of a sophisticated radar system at an airport in Tobago. Caribbean the government maintain the radar's intended role is for curtailing local criminal activity, asserting it is not a base for military strikes against another country. Government opponents caution, however, that the partnership risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's ongoing political strategy against Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro. Scope of Agreement and Official Statements As per a ministry statement, US use at the airports would be focused on logistics, enabling resupply efforts and regular staff changes. The statement offered no specifics on the matter. The nation's leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has in the past supported US military strikes targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, actions that have allegedly led to numerous deaths, among them several Trinidadian citizens. Initial Claims and Later Disclosures Initially, Persad-Bissessar said a US C-17 aircraft arriving in Tobago was transporting marines to assist with a civilian road construction project. However, when pictures emerged of the defense system, she acknowledged that no fewer than 100 marines were on the ground in the country, accompanied by the high-performance radar. This system, believed to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is used for aerial monitoring, defense, and artillery detection operations. Close Neighbors Trinidad and Tobago is situated extremely close from Venezuela at their narrowest separation. The country has two primary international gateways: Piarco International in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International in Tobago. This development follows a prior event in October, when a US warship docked in Trinidad's capital, as part of the Trump administration's growing military posture towards Venezuela. In related developments, US lawmakers have expressed doubts about the lawfulness of the recent maritime strikes and have announced a formal investigation.