Officials in Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela’s closest Caribbean neighbor, are crediting the recent installation of American military radar in the country for two major drug busts totaling $40 million this week.
Using the busts to justify the controversial installation of the equipment at Tobago’s main international airport, Police Chief Allister Guevarro and Foreign Minister Sean Sobers have both said that the equipment that was recently put in place by the Florida-based US had helped authorities in a major operation against traffickers.
Controversy had surrounded the moves to install the equipment as officials had said that the presence of heavy duty US military cargo planes landing during the night in Tobago had to do with US assistance for road construction and other types of infrastructural works.
But it became clear that a radar system was being installed in Trinidad’s sister isle, less than 100 miles from Venezuela, as the US continues to threaten military action against Venezuela. Now officials say their collaboration with the US is quickly paying dividends, less than a month after the equipment was switched on.
“We are very pleased that those national security apparatuses are working together cohesively with the TT defense force and with assistance from the US,” Minister Sobers told reporters. “I think it is a partnership that has never come to this level of fruition that we have been seeing in recent times. The success of it in such a short period is a testament to how strong the relationship is, and the equipment that they have provided to TT is working quite well,” he said.
The main opposition, People’s National Movement (PNM), has called for a full governmental explanation of both the equipment and the plans of the US military in the republic, reminding the administration of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bisessar about the long-lasting and future effects of cozying up with Washington in its troubles with Venezuela. The prime minister also told reporters that by “using the radar that we installed in Tobago, we were able today to drug bust illegal drugs in TT. It is a significant blow to criminal networks.”
Police say they have made no arrests in either case so far.
Ever since the US moved military and human assets in waters near Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago has signaled a difference of foreign policy opinion with its Caribbean sister nations, throwing its open support for the US attacks on alleged drug boats and criminal networks engaged in drugs and weapons smuggling, as well as human trafficking. The government credits the American presence with a significant reduction in felony crimes.
“Statistics demonstrate that the crime rate has been at an all-time low in the last decade plus,” Sobers said, “and I think the way in which we intend to roll out other ventures in collaboration with the US, you will see even further reduction in other elements of crime. We meet with the US all the time. The PM wanted to have further discussion with respect to the charge with respect to some other forms of co-operation that would benefit TT, and I think in short order we will also be indicating to the public what those are all about.”
US forces have held several joint training exercises in the republic in recent weeks, but Prime Minister Persad Bissessar has said that no request to use Trinidad and Tobago as a base against Venezuela has yet been made.
