The Caribbean Nation Grants US Military Use to Its Airports As Rising Strains with Venezuela
The government of Trinidad and Tobago has announced it will authorize the United States military to operate from its airports in coming weeks. This move follows mounting strained relations between the US and its neighbor Venezuela.
Radar Installation Raises Questions
The news follows the recent setup of a sophisticated radar system at an airport in Tobago. Caribbean officials have insisted the radar's primary purpose is for combating illegal operations, emphatically denying a base for military strikes against foreign states.
Skeptics warn, however, that these arrangements might entangle Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Nature of Access and Official Statements
As per a foreign affairs statement, US use at the airports would be focused on logistics, assisting with resupply efforts and routine personnel rotations. The government offered no specifics beyond this.
The nation's leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has previously supported US airstrikes targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, strikes that have reportedly resulted in numerous deaths, including a number of Trinidadian citizens.
Earlier Statements and Later Disclosures
At first, Persad-Bissessar claimed a US C-17 aircraft arriving in Tobago was carrying marines to support a civilian road construction project. Yet, when pictures emerged of the defense system, she conceded that no fewer than 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 used for aerial monitoring, defense, and artillery detection operations.
Close Neighbors
Trinidad and Tobago lies a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their closest point. It has main airports: 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 ramped-up military pressure on Venezuela.
In related developments, American legislators have expressed doubts about the legality of the recent maritime strikes and have announced a formal investigation.
