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The United States will begin five-day military exercises in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, the island nation's government announced.
This development comes just a month after the US sent a guided-missile destroyer for exercises in the island's territory, an action that Venezuela described as a "military provocation."
According to the Financial Times, the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago stated on Thursday that the US will "intensify" its training activities on the two islands, which are located just a few miles off the Venezuelan coast.
However, Foreign Minister Sean Sobers denied that next week's exercises constitute a preparation for possible military action near Venezuela.
But Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has supported the American presence in the region and has frequently clashed with Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolás Maduro.
The exercises will involve the Marine Corps' elite 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which has been deployed for weeks in the Caribbean for a mission that Washington describes as a war on drug trafficking.
The government of Trinidad and Tobago said that these exercises will serve to increase interoperability between local and American forces, improving familiarity with common tactics and techniques.
US troops are also expected to train local forces on internal security issues, including drug-related crime and gang violence.
In recent weeks, the US has increased its naval presence in the Caribbean, including bringing its largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford.
Meanwhile, Venezuela has announced a "massive mobilization" of troops and military equipment, raising concerns about a possible escalation.
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