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The government of Trinidad and Tobago has stated it will authorize the United States military to utilize its airports in coming weeks. This move comes as mounting geopolitical friction between the US and nearby Venezuela.

Radar Installation Raises Questions

This announcement follows the recent setup of a military-grade radar system at an airport in Tobago. National authorities maintain the radar's intended role is for curtailing domestic crime, stressing it will not be a springboard for military strikes against another country.

Critics and opposition figures argue, however, that this cooperation risks pulling Trinidad and Tobago into former President Donald Trump's intensifying political strategy against Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro.

Scope of Agreement and Official Statements

In a foreign affairs statement, US use at the airports would be for logistical support, assisting with resupply efforts and routine personnel rotations. Officials offered no specifics beyond this.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has previously supported US military strikes targeting suspected drug boats in regional waters, actions that have reportedly resulted in multiple 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 carrying marines to support a civilian road construction project. However, following photographic evidence of the radar installation, she admitted that no fewer than 100 marines were stationed in the country, along with the high-performance radar.

This system, believed to be a long-range AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, is used for aerial monitoring, air defense, and artillery detection operations.

Close Neighbors

Trinidad and Tobago lies 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.

This development comes after a previous incident in October, when a US naval vessel was stationed in Trinidad's capital, as part of the Trump administration's growing military posture towards Venezuela.

In related developments, Congressional representatives have expressed doubts about the lawfulness of the recent maritime strikes and have announced a review process.