The United States will hold new military exercises in Trinidad and Tobago for five days, starting on Sunday (16), according to an announcement from the Caribbean country.
The statement came after the sending last month of , an action that neighboring Venezuela denounced as a “military provocation”.
On Thursday (13), the attorney general of Trinidad and Tobago told the Financial Times newspaper that the US would “intensify” exercises on the island, located a few kilometers off the Venezuelan coast.
On Friday (14), Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Minister, Sean Sobers, denied that next week’s military exercises are a prelude to possible military action by Washington near the country, particularly in Venezuela.
Although there is global concern about potential action by the United States in the region, the Caribbean nation’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, defended the American presence and its confrontation with the.
The exercises will include the US Marine Corps’ 22nd Expeditionary Unit, already deployed in the region to support what Washington describes as a mission to .
The government of Trinidad and Tobago has stated that the exercises will allow American and Venezuelan troops to become familiar with each other’s tactics and techniques, and that its forces will receive training from the Americans to deal with internal problems such as drug-related crime and gang violence.
Increased American military presence
In recent weeks, the United States has concentrated its naval forces in the Caribbean, including sending its .
In response, Venezuela announced an armament and equipment deployment in the Caribbean.
This has raised fears that both Washington and Caracas are preparing for a full-scale conflict.
Although the US has justified sending troops to the region as a measure to combat drug trafficking vessels, some experts question the need for such firepower for this purpose.
They point out that the USS Gerald R. Ford represents the largest American military presence in the region.
President Donald Trump said he believes Maduro’s days are numbered and that he does not rule out the possibility of US ground attacks in Venezuela.
A CNN also reported that earlier this week, Trump was presented with options for military operations inside Venezuela. The Republican has not yet decided how to proceed, but has already expressed reservations about carrying out military action to depose Maduro.
Recently, Maduro called on the United States to avoid conflict, telling CNN which was: “Yes to peace, yes to peace.”
