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The US government announced that it had carried out a naval operation off the coast of Venezuela, related to a dispute over the country’s territorial waters. In a statement to AFP, spokesman for the Southern Command of the Armed Forces, responsible for actions in Latin America and the Caribbean, the destroyer USS William P. Lawrence acted to guarantee “freedom of navigation” in the area. The text also reiterates that US naval forces carry out similar operations around the world, “in accordance with international law.”
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Venezuela claims for itself a stretch of three nautical miles (5.5 km) in addition to the 12 miles provided by international law, which, for the United States, would be an “inconceivable” violation of maritime regulations. Commenting on the operation, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, affirmed that the presence of the vessel was a “deliberate act of provocation, but erratic and childish,” and accused the Southern Command of trying to intimidate the country.
Since April, US ships have been carrying out a major naval operation in the Caribbean, with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking and providing humanitarian assistance in the event of a natural disaster in the region. However, Venezuela and Cuba consider the presence of the boats as a deliberate act of intimidation and provocation; Shortly before, in March, a lawsuit was opened against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the US court, which Washington does not recognize as the legitimate leader of the country. In addition to the lawsuit, US authorities are offering a $ 15 million reward for information that could lead to his arrest.
