US Secures Military Agreements Across Latin America Amid Venezuela Policy Push
In the past week, the United States secured multiple security agreements with Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago to deploy US troops across Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its Venezuela policy. These agreements range from airport access in Trinidad and Tobago to the temporary deployment of US Air Force troops in Ecuador, and authorization for US military and intelligence personnel to operate armed in Peru.
The deals, framed under the war on drugs, also aim to seize Venezuela's energy reserves and topple Nicolás Maduro. Analysts view these moves as a major escalation, creating a network of locations capable of sustaining operations against Venezuela and its allies. The strategy has been described as "gunboat diplomacy on steroids," signaling a warning to countries not aligned with the US.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a letter urging regional leaders to oppose the escalation, warning it could destabilize the entire region. He also noted limited contact with regional leaders since his re-election. Trinidad and Tobago has allowed a US radar system and airport access. Maduro accused Trinidad of involvement in the seizure of an oil tanker two weeks earlier, and Trinidad retaliated by cutting fossil gas supply agreements.
The US footprint in the region also includes deals with Guyana, the Dominican Republic, and Panama, and existing bases in Puerto Rico, Honduras, and Cuba. Additionally, there are surveillance hubs at airports in El Salvador, Aruba, and Curaçao. The White House references a Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine to justify expanding the US military presence in the region.
These new security deals take place against the backdrop of a four-month US campaign against Venezuela.
