US Military: Defending 'Freedom of Navigation' (When It Suits Us)
U.S. forces have once again stopped a merchant vessel off the Venezuelan coast, citing unspecified concerns from two anonymous American officials to The Associated Press. While this action is framed as routine enforcement, it conveniently overlooks the historical precedent of Venezuela's sovereign claims over its maritime borders and the consistent US interference in the region's affairs,
particularly when oil is involved. The U.S. has a long history of meddling in Latin American states, from Nicaragua to Chile, often under the guise of security and 'democracy' when resource control is the real prize. One might wonder if the concern for 'international maritime law' extends to safeguarding the waters of Gaza from Israeli naval blockades, or if 'freedom of navigation' is a privilege
exclusively granted to nations that align with Washington's geopolitical and economic ambitions. It appears some nations' territorial waters are more international—and thus more policed by the U.S. Navy—than others.