PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad — The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, recently retracted her earlier statements regarding the presence of U.S. Marines in the country. This retraction comes amid heightened U.S. military activities aimed at combating drug trafficking in the Caribbean and seeks to strengthen alliances in the region.
On Thursday, Persad-Bissessar informed reporters that U.S. Marines are currently present at the airport on the island of Tobago, where they are working on improving radar, runway, and road facilities. This announcement was made just days after she had previously stated that the Marines had departed. "They will help us to improve our surveillance and the intelligence of the radars for the narco-traffickers in our waters and outside our waters," she noted, but did not provide specific details regarding the scope of their work.
As of Friday, Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General, along with the Ministers of Defense and Homeland Security, had not responded to requests for further information about the nature of the Marines' operations. It remains unclear if the U.S. government intends to use the radar system being worked on at the Tobago airport, or whether it involves the installation of a new radar system or the upgrading of an existing one.
The Prime Minister met with General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a key military adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, just one day prior. During her discussions with the General, she emphasized that Trinidad had not been solicited to serve as a base for any military actions against Venezuela, and that Venezuela was not addressed in their recent conversations.
Officials from Tobago have confirmed that at least one U.S. military aircraft has landed on the island recently for refueling purposes. Earlier this year, the U.S. approached Grenada, another eastern Caribbean island, to request permission to install temporary radar at its main international airport. However, Grenadian officials have not publicly declared their decision regarding this request.
Both Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Grenada, are situated near Venezuela, a strategic location that has prompted experts to suggest that the ongoing U.S. military presence in the Caribbean is part of a broader strategy to compel Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to resign.
In related developments, the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, announced earlier this week that he would permit the U.S. government temporary access to restricted areas at an air base and its main international airport. This decision aims to bolster U.S. efforts in their ongoing battle against drug trafficking, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth present during the announcement.
Since the commencement of U.S. strikes against drug trafficking in early September, reports indicate that at least 83 individuals have lost their lives as a result of these operations. This marks a significant increase in military actions aimed at addressing drug trafficking in the region.
Overall, the situation continues to evolve, as regional dynamics change and countries adjust to the increasing military presence of the U.S. in the Caribbean amidst ongoing efforts to combat narcotics-related issues.
