Trinidad and Tobago approves US military aircraft transit in airports

Trinidad and Tobago granted approval on Monday for United States military aircraft to transit its airports in the coming weeks, amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.

he Caribbean country’s foreign ministry said in a statement it was committed to cooperating with the U.S. on regional security, adding that the aircraft movements were logistics-related.

In November, a senior U.S. military official met with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to reaffirm the partnership and discuss priorities for regional security and stability, the Pentagon said.

The U.S. has stepped up operations in the Caribbean and Pacific in recent months, including more than 20 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels this year that have killed nearly 90 people.