US Navy Stops Venezuelan Fishing Boat – Advanced English

Venezuela has lodged a formal protest against Washington following a maritime confrontation involving the US Navy destroyer USS Jason Dunham. According to Caracas, the destroyer intercepted and detained a Venezuelan tuna fishing vessel with nine fishermen aboard for over eight hours within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Venezuelan officials branded the maneuver illegal, hostile, and a breach of sovereignty, asserting that it undermines both international maritime law and regional stability. Foreign Minister Yván Gil denounced the operation as an act of aggression, urging the United States to cease what he described as “provocative incursions” in the Caribbean.

The United States has yet to release an official statement clarifying its version of events. However, the episode adds another layer of friction to already fractious US-Venezuela relations, long strained by sanctions, political disputes, and competing geopolitical interests.

Diplomatic observers warn that the confrontation could heighten regional instability, particularly as Venezuela seeks to frame the incident as evidence of US hostility in Latin America. The episode underscores the fragile balance between maritime security operations and national sovereignty claims in contested waters.