Venezuela has revealed that a US military vessel illegally entered its economic maritime zone, boarded a fishing boat, and intimidated the fishermen on board. The Venezuelan government stated that a US Navy destroyer-class vessel had illegally entered the country’s maritime territory. It also claimed that US soldiers boarded a fishing boat, detained it for over eight hours, and threatened its crew. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil said that US soldiers had illegally boarded their fishing vessel and acted in a way that endangered the lives of the fishermen. He also emphasized that these were poor, innocent fishermen.
This US military encroachment on Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence comes at a time of heightened tensions between Caracas and Washington. Last week, the US military attacked a Venezuelan boat, killing 11 people on board. President Donald Trump’s administration claimed the boat was carrying drugs and that those killed were involved in drug trafficking, suspecting the vessel’s destination was the United States. The US Congress has called on the Trump administration to disclose accurate information about the incident. However, Trump’s administration has not revealed any further details. Trump stated that those killed by the US military were members of a criminal gang or group called “Tren de Aragua.” However, the Venezuelan government denies these allegations.
The Venezuelan government confirmed that this time, the vessel that illegally entered Venezuela’s maritime zone was a destroyer-class military ship named USS Jason Dunham. It is a vessel capable of carrying powerful weapons such as cruise missiles. The Venezuelan government also stated that it had a large number of soldiers on board. Venezuela has called on the Trump administration to stop sending such vessels into their maritime territory and cease these illegal actions.
