US Navy Carries Out A Second 'Freedom Of Navigation' Operation Off The Coats Of Venezuela

The guided-missile destroyer Pinckney transits the Pacific Ocean on April 26. (Navy)

Navy Times: Destroyer Pinckney challenges Venezuela’s maritime territorial claims

For the second time in three weeks, U.S. Southern Command has sent a Navy warship through waters off the coast of Venezuela, the combatant command said Wednesday.

The guided-missile destroyer Pinckney steamed through waters off the South American country’s coast to challenge Caracas’ “excessive maritime claims in international waters.”

Such freedom of navigation operations, or FONOPs, occur regularly in the South China Sea, where the U.S. military regularly contests Beijing’s territorial claims, but several such operations have also taken place off Venezuela this year.

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Update #1: Arleigh Burke destroyer USS Pinckney conducts FONOP in Caribbean Sea (Naval Technology)
Update #2: US Navy carries out second 'freedom of navigation' op off Venezuela coast (AFP)

WNU Editor: The Venezuelan government was not happy the last time this happened in June .... Venezuela criticizes U.S. 'provocation' after navy operation (Reuters).