The US obtained an airport 10 km from the Venezuelan border “for movements of a logistical nature”

The small state of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean has authorized the US to use its airports “in the coming weeks” for “movements of a logistical nature”, announced on Monday, in the midst of a crisis between Caracas and Washington, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the archipelago located about 10 km away from Venezuela, reports AFP, taken over by Agerpres.

Since August, Washington has deployed a significant military presence in the Caribbean, officially to combat drug trafficking to the United States.

Caracas considers this an operation aimed at removing President Nicolás Maduro from power and taking over the country's vast oil reserves.

Last week, for the first time, an oil tanker carrying Venezuelan crude oil was seized.

“In accordance with established bilateral cooperation, the ministry has granted authorizations allowing United States military aircraft to transit through Trinidad and Tobago airports in the coming weeks,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“The United States has indicated that these movements are logistical in nature, facilitating resupply and routine personnel rotations,” the said text adds.

A Trump ally, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who came to power in May, has repeatedly made statements hostile to the Venezuelan government, while stressing that Washington never asked for permission to use the archipelago to launch attacks against Venezuela.

The archipelago hosted the US warship USS Gravely in late October, and a contingent of US Marines conducted exercises there between 16 and 21 November; some of these bands are still present.

The US also installed, at the end of November, a radar at the new airport in Tobago, which has not yet been inaugurated.