🔗 Share this article Trinidad and Tobago Grants US Military Access to National Airfields As Escalating Strains with Venezuela Officials in Trinidad and Tobago has stated it will allow the United States military to access its airports in the near future. This move follows increasing geopolitical friction between the US and its neighbor Venezuela. Radar Installation Raises Questions The news follows the recent deployment of a advanced radar system at an airport in Tobago. National authorities have insisted the radar's sole use is for fighting domestic crime, emphatically denying a base for military strikes against foreign states. Critics and opposition figures warn, however, that these arrangements risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into ex-President Donald Trump's intensifying political strategy against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Scope of Agreement and Government Explanation As per a foreign affairs statement, US operations at the airports would be focused on logistics, assisting with supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations. The statement offered no specifics on the matter. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has previously supported US operations targeting suspected drug ships in regional waters, strikes that have allegedly led to numerous deaths, among them several Trinidadian citizens. Earlier Statements and Later Disclosures 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, after images surfaced of the defense system, she conceded that at least 100 marines were present in the country, along with the high-performance radar. This system, identified as a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is marketed as aerial monitoring, defense, and artillery detection operations. Proximity and Geography Trinidad and Tobago is situated a mere seven miles from Venezuela at their closest point. It has two primary airports: 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 was stationed in Trinidad's capital, signaling the Trump administration's growing military posture on Venezuela. In related developments, US lawmakers have raised questions about the lawfulness of the aforementioned maritime strikes and have announced a congressional review.