🔗 Share this article Trinidad and Tobago Allows US Military Access to Its Airports As Escalating Tensions with Venezuela Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed it will authorize the United States military to operate from its airports in the near future. This move comes as increasing geopolitical friction between the US and nearby Venezuela. New Defense System Raises Questions This statement comes after the setup of a advanced radar system at an airport in Tobago. National authorities have insisted the radar's sole use is for curtailing local criminal activity, stressing it will not be a springboard for attacks against foreign states. Critics and opposition figures warn, however, that these arrangements risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into former President Donald Trump's ongoing political strategy against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Nature of Access and Government Explanation In a foreign affairs statement, US operations at the airports would be focused on logistics, facilitating stocking provisions and standard troop rotations. The statement did not elaborate on the matter. The nation's leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has previously commended US military strikes targeting alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, strikes that have reportedly led to numerous fatalities, among them several Trinidadian citizens. Initial Claims and Later Disclosures At first, Persad-Bissessar stated a US C-17 aircraft arriving in Tobago was carrying marines to assist with a local 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, thought to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is used for air surveillance, air defense, and counter-fire capabilities. Proximity and Geography Trinidad and Tobago is situated a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their closest point. It has main airports: Piarco International in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International in Tobago. The airport access agreement comes after a prior event in October, when a US naval vessel docked in Trinidad's capital, signaling the Trump administration's growing military pressure on Venezuela. In related developments, Congressional representatives have expressed doubts about the lawfulness of the aforementioned maritime strikes and have announced a formal investigation.