On September 30, the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence challenged Venezuela’s excessive maritime claims in international waters during a successful freedom of navigation operation in the Caribbean Sea.
By Diálogo – Digital Military Magazine –
Oct 1, 2020
The U.S. Navy previously contested Venezuela’s excessive claims on July 15, when the USS Pinckney lawfully and peacefully asserted internationally recognized maritime navigation rights and freedoms during a similar operation in international waters outside of Venezuela’s territorial sea.
The illegitimate Maduro regime improperly claims excessive controls over those international waters, which extend 3 nautical miles beyond the 12-nautical mile territorial sea, a claim that is inconsistent with international law.
The U.S. Navy conducts freedom of navigation operations worldwide to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to uphold the rights, freedoms, access, and lawful uses of international waters and airspace guaranteed to all nations.
Freedom of navigation operations help preserve the maritime navigation and access rights guaranteed to all nations.
Global access to international waters protects U.S. national interests, promotes a just international order, and ensures the U.S. Navy can accomplish key missions, including humanitarian assistance deployments, disaster relief operations, support to international counternarcotics efforts, and multinational exercises that strengthen regional partnerships.
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