🔗 Share this article Trinidad and Tobago Provides US Military Use to Its Airports As Growing Strains with Venezuela Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has stated it will authorize the United States military to utilize its airports in coming weeks. This decision occurs amid increasing geopolitical friction between the US and nearby Venezuela. Radar Installation Fuels Controversy The news comes after the installation of a military-grade radar system at an airport in Tobago. National officials have insisted the radar's intended role is for fighting local criminal activity, stressing it will not be a base for military strikes against another country. Critics and opposition figures caution, however, that the partnership risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's intensifying political strategy against Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro. Scope of Agreement and Government Explanation As per a foreign affairs statement, US activities at the airports would be “logistical in nature”, assisting with stocking provisions and regular staff changes. The statement provided no further details beyond this. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has in the past commended US military strikes targeting suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, actions that have allegedly led to numerous fatalities, 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 help on a civilian road construction project. Yet, after images surfaced of the defense system, she conceded that at least 100 marines were present in the country, accompanied by the high-performance radar. This system, thought to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is used for aerial monitoring, defense, and artillery detection operations. Proximity and Geography 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 comes after a prior event in October, when a US naval vessel docked in Trinidad's capital, as part of the Trump administration's growing military pressure on Venezuela. In related developments, Congressional representatives have raised questions about the lawfulness of the aforementioned maritime strikes and have announced a congressional review.