🔗 Share this article Trinidad and Tobago Grants US Military Access to National Airfields As Growing Tensions with Venezuela Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed it will permit the United States military to operate from its airports in the near future. This development occurs amid increasing geopolitical friction between the US and nearby Venezuela. New Defense System Sparks Debate This statement comes after the setup of a sophisticated radar system at an airport in Tobago. National officials maintain the radar's primary purpose is for combating domestic crime, stressing it will not be a base for attacks against any nation. Skeptics argue, however, that the partnership might entangle Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Nature of Access and Official Statements According to a foreign affairs statement, US use at the airports would be focused on logistics, facilitating resupply efforts and regular staff changes. The government did not elaborate beyond this. The nation's leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has previously praised US operations targeting alleged drug ships in the Caribbean and Pacific, strikes that have reportedly led to numerous fatalities, including several Trinidadian citizens. Earlier Statements and Subsequent Revelations Initially, Persad-Bissessar said a US C-17 aircraft that landed in Tobago was carrying marines to help on a civilian road construction project. Yet, when pictures emerged of the defense system, she acknowledged that no fewer than 100 marines were stationed in the country, accompanied by the powerful radar. The radar, believed to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is described as aerial monitoring, defense, and counter-fire operations. Close Neighbors Trinidad and Tobago is situated a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their closest point. It has main airports: Piarco International in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International in Tobago. The airport access agreement comes after a previous incident in October, when a US warship was stationed in Trinidad's capital, as part of the Trump administration's ramped-up military posture against Venezuela. In related developments, American legislators have expressed doubts about the lawfulness of the aforementioned maritime strikes and have announced a congressional review.