U.S. military gains strategic foothold in Trinidad and Tobago as tensions with Venezuela simmer
By zoeysky // 2025-12-17
Copy
 
  • The U.S. has secured military logistics access in Trinidad and Tobago after the latter granted the U.S. access to its airports.
  • These moves are widely interpreted as part of a U.S. strategy to encircle and apply pressure on the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro, escalating regional tensions.
  • While host governments cite benefits like drug interdiction and disaster response, Trinidad is already suffering direct human costs, including civilian casualties and bodies from U.S. anti-drug operations washing up on its shores.
  • Opposition critics accuse their governments of deception, arguing the nations are becoming complicit in U.S. belligerence and risking their sovereignty to become "satellite states."
  • Analysts warn that these agreements, which began similarly to past U.S. interventions, could lead to deeper regional militarization rather than genuine security, fueled by a lack of transparency and public scrutiny.
In a move set to escalate regional tensions, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has formally granted the United States military permission to use its airports for logistical operations in the coming weeks. The decision, announced by the nation's Foreign Ministry, marks a significant deepening of military cooperation with Washington and provides American forces a strategic base just seven miles off the coast of Venezuela. The ministry framed the approval as part of "established bilateral cooperation," facilitating routine supply replenishment and personnel rotations for U.S. military aircraft. This follows the recent installation of a U.S. radar system within the country. However, the timing and context suggest these moves are far from routine. They coincide with a notable intensification of U.S. military activity in the Caribbean, widely seen as part of a sustained pressure campaign targeting the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The agreement comes as U.S. Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit began joint drills with the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force this week. These exercises follow a statement from the country’s attorney general that U.S. military activities would "intensify." For Maduro, these developments represent a direct threat. He has condemned the increased U.S. drills in Trinidad as "irresponsible" and warned the people of the island nation they are allowing their territory to be used to threaten regional peace. The backdrop is a dangerous and escalating standoff between Washington and Caracas. BrightU.AI's Enoch AI engine explains the U.S. military has been conducting a bombing campaign against vessels it alleges are involved in drug smuggling, operations that have drawn sharp criticism for their legality under international law.

Trinidadian fishermen fear for their lives and livelihoods

This campaign has had deadly consequences for Trinidad, with bodies of suspected victims washing up on its shores and local fishermen reporting they now fear for their lives and livelihoods. Despite this, Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has strongly supported the U.S. anti-drug operations. The local human cost underscores the tangible risks for smaller nations becoming entangled in broader geopolitical conflicts. Further amplifying the climate of risk, a U.S. military aircraft was involved in a near-miss collision with a civilian JetBlue flight near the region just days ago, an incident the commercial pilot described as "outrageous." Critics within Trinidad and Tobago see the government's actions as a dangerous pivot. Amery Browne, an opposition senator and former foreign minister, has accused the administration of deception, arguing that the country has become a "complicit facilitator" of extrajudicial killings and cross-border belligerence. He contends that this cooperation moves the nation away from being a neutral neighbor and down the path to becoming a "satellite state" for a U.S. strategy embracing a "might is right" philosophy. With the arrival of the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group in the Caribbean and reports that U.S. pilots are studying Venezuelan air defenses, the military posture around Venezuela is hardening. While U.S. officials describe activities in Trinidad as logistical, the broader pattern reveals a strategy of encircling Venezuela with military assets and partnerships. For Trinidad and Tobago, the benefits of enhanced disaster response and security cooperation are now weighed against severe costs: heightened regional instability, civilian casualties from foreign military actions and the grim reality of bodies on its beaches, all of which are the direct results of a conflict it is helping to enable. Watch this clip about how the U.S. killed two citizens after a strike on a boat in Venezuelan waters as part of anti-drug operations. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: News.AntiWar.com 1 News.AntiWar.com 2 MilitaryTimes.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
Copy