A Navy destroyer on Tuesday sailed into an area claimed by Venezuela that isn’t recognized by international law, officials said.
The USS Nitze conducted a freedom-of-navigation operation in international waters outside Venezuela’s 12-nautical mile territorial jurisdiction. The guided missile destroyer legally navigated an area that the Maduro regime claims to have control over, Navy officials said.
The claim is inconsistent with international law, officials said.
Officials with U.S. Southern Command said the USS Nitze and other Navy and Coast Guard vessels are operating in the Caribbean as part of the Trump administration’s enhanced counter narcotics operations.
The Navy says it routinely conducts freedom-of-navigation operations around the world to preserve maritime access right guaranteed to all nations under international law.
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