🔗 Share this article

The government of Trinidad and Tobago has announced it will permit the United States military to operate from its airports in the near future. This move follows increasing regional tensions between the US and its neighbor Venezuela.

Radar Installation Sparks Debate

This announcement follows the recent setup of a advanced radar system at an airport in Tobago. Caribbean officials state the radar's primary purpose is for combating illegal operations, emphatically denying a launchpad for military strikes against another country.

Skeptics caution, however, that the partnership could draw Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's broader pressure campaign against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Scope of Agreement and Government Explanation

According to a foreign affairs statement, US operations at the airports would be for logistical support, facilitating supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations. Officials did not elaborate beyond this.

The nation's leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has in the past praised US airstrikes targeting suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, actions that have allegedly resulted in dozens of deaths, among them several Trinidadian citizens.

Earlier Statements and Subsequent Revelations

At first, Persad-Bissessar claimed a US C-17 aircraft that landed in Tobago was transporting marines to support a local road construction project. However, following photographic evidence of the defense system, she conceded that no fewer than 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 used for aerial monitoring, defense, and artillery detection capabilities.

Close Neighbors

Trinidad and Tobago lies extremely close from Venezuela at their narrowest separation. The country 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 docked in Trinidad's capital, as part of the Trump administration's increased military pressure towards Venezuela.

Meanwhile, Congressional representatives have raised questions about the legality of the recent maritime strikes and have called for a formal investigation.