Overview
- The twin-island state, only about seven miles from Venezuela, authorized U.S. military aircraft to use Piarco and ANR Robinson airports in the coming weeks.
- Trinidad and Tobago’s foreign ministry said operations will be logistical, covering supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations.
- Officials say a long-range U.S. radar and roughly 100 marines are already on Tobago for crime-fighting, and the country will not be used to launch attacks on other states.
- U.S. maritime strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats since September have killed more than 80 people and have drawn a congressional review.
- Venezuelan officials accused Trinidad and Tobago of abetting the seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker and said they would halt joint natural gas exploration.