🔗 Share this article The Caribbean Nation Allows US Military Use to National Airfields Amid Rising Strains with Venezuela Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed it will permit the United States military to utilize its airports shortly. This decision follows heightening regional tensions between the US and nearby Venezuela. Radar Installation Fuels Controversy This announcement comes after the deployment of a advanced radar system at an airport in Tobago. Caribbean authorities have insisted the radar's sole use is for curtailing domestic crime, stressing it will not be a springboard for attacks against any nation. Government opponents warn, however, that this cooperation might entangle Trinidad and Tobago into former President Donald Trump's intensifying pressure campaign against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Scope of Agreement and Government Explanation According to a ministry statement, US activities at the airports would be “logistical in nature”, facilitating supply replenishment and regular staff changes. The statement did not elaborate on the matter. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has previously commended US military strikes targeting suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, strikes that have allegedly led to numerous deaths, among them a number of Trinidadian citizens. Initial Claims and Subsequent Revelations At first, Persad-Bissessar said a US C-17 aircraft that landed in Tobago was carrying marines to assist with a local road construction project. However, after images surfaced of the defense system, she acknowledged that no fewer than 100 marines were present in the country, accompanied by the powerful radar. This system, thought to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is described as air surveillance, defense, and counter-fire operations. Close Neighbors Trinidad and Tobago lies a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their narrowest separation. It has main international gateways: Piarco International in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International in Tobago. The airport access agreement follows a prior event in October, when a US warship was stationed in Trinidad's capital, signaling the Trump administration's ramped-up military pressure on Venezuela. Meanwhile, Congressional representatives have raised questions about the legality of the recent maritime strikes and have announced a review process.