🔗 Share this article The Caribbean Nation Allows US Military Access to National Airfields As Growing Tensions with Venezuela The government of Trinidad and Tobago has announced it will authorize the United States military to utilize its airports in the near future. This move comes as mounting regional tensions between the US and its neighbor Venezuela. Radar Installation Sparks Debate The news follows the recent setup of a military-grade radar system at an airport in Tobago. National officials state the radar's primary purpose is for fighting domestic crime, stressing it will not be a springboard for attacks against another country. Skeptics argue, however, that these arrangements risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into former President Donald Trump's ongoing political strategy against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Scope of Agreement and Government Explanation According to a ministry statement, US use at the airports would be focused on logistics, assisting with supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations. The government offered no specifics beyond this. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has in the past supported US military strikes targeting suspected drug boats in regional waters, actions that have reportedly resulted in multiple fatalities, among them a number of Trinidadian citizens. Initial Claims and Subsequent Revelations At first, Persad-Bissessar claimed a US C-17 aircraft that landed in Tobago was transporting 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 on the ground in the country, along with the powerful radar. The radar, believed to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is described as aerial monitoring, defense, and artillery detection operations. 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. The airport access agreement follows a previous incident in October, when a US naval vessel docked in Trinidad's capital, signaling the Trump administration's growing military posture on Venezuela. Meanwhile, Congressional representatives have expressed doubts about the lawfulness of the recent maritime strikes and have called for a formal investigation.