Venezuela condemns US destroyer for hostile occupation of fishing vessel

US subject enactment against a Venezuelan vessel sparks condemnation and unit deployments.

Venezuela has accused the United States of illegally boarding and occupying 1 of its sportfishing vessels successful the country’s peculiar economical zone, further escalating tensions betwixt Caracas and Washington.

In a connection connected Saturday, Venezuela’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the vessel, carrying 9 “humble” and “harmless” fishermen, was intercepted by the US destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) connected Friday.

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“The warship deployed 18 equipped agents who boarded and occupied the small, harmless vessel for 8 hours,” the connection said, calling the incidental a “direct provocation done the amerciable usage of excessive subject means”.

The determination follows a US subject onslaught past week successful the Caribbean that killed 11 Venezuelans and sank a vessel that the medication of US President Donald Trump claimed, without evidence, had been transporting narcotics.

Venezuela has rejected these claims, with Minister of the Popular Power for Interior Diosdado Cabello insisting nary of those killed was a subordinate of the Tren de Aragua gang, arsenic alleged by Washington.

“They openly confessed to sidesplitting 11 people,” Cabello said connected authorities television. “Our investigations amusement the victims were not cause traffickers. A execution has been committed against a radical of citizens utilizing lethal force.”

The White House defended the strike, with spokeswoman Anna Kelly calling the victims “evil Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists” and saying that Nicolas Maduro is “not the morganatic president of Venezuela” and is simply a “fugitive.”

Several countries deny Maduro’s legitimacy arsenic a democratically elected person owed to what immoderate person viewed arsenic unfair elections, but the Trump medication has not provided evidence linking the Venezuelan president to Tren de Aragua. US quality agencies person said determination is nary motion of coordination betwixt the authorities and traffickers.

Pentagon officials did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

Venezuelan President Maduro announced the deployment of troops, constabulary and civilian militias crossed 284 “battlefront” locations, reinforcing erstwhile unit increases on the Colombian border.

Speaking from Ciudad Caribia, Maduro signalled Venezuela’s readiness to support its water, saying: “We’re acceptable for an equipped fight, if it’s necessary.”

The US has besides expanded its subject beingness successful the confederate Caribbean, sending warships and deploying 10 F-35 combatant jets to Puerto Rico.

Last month, Washington doubled its reward for accusation starring to Maduro’s apprehension to $50m, citing alleged cause trafficking and transgression ties, a assertion Venezuela denies, asserting it is not a drug-producing country.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies