The US Navy has sent another warship, the USS Pinckney, to the coast of Venezuela this week for a “freedom of navigation” exercise. These operations, most common against China, are meant by the US to contest other nations’ claims to waters.
This is the second operation in Venezuela-claimed waters in three weeks, with Navy officials saying that they don’t like the “excessive maritime claims” made by the “illegal Maduro regime,” and sent the ship to prevent this.
Venezuela warned last time that they considered the incursion of US ships a “provocation,” but the US is betting they won’t do anything about it, and then can say this proves the claims are invalid.
Admiral Craig Faller says the US will continue to make such moves to prove their navigation claims, and won’t accept “unlawful” maritime claims from Venezuela.
US Destroyer Sent to Venezuelan Coast to Challenge Maduro
Navy says ship shows Venezuela doesn't control those claims
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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