Colombia protests against the interception and towing of a Colombian ship by the Nicaraguan navy in a disputed waters, reports Caracol Radio.
Colombian Defense Minister Minister Gabriel Silva said that the ship was “in an area that the International Court of Justice in the Hague has defined as a disputed area that has not been assigned to Nicaragua, Honduras or Colombia and, therefore, is high sea from a legal standpoint.”
International law and policy analyst Cesar Torres del Rio described the act as “totally arbitrary” with respect to international law and a violation of Colombian sovereignty. He added that Colombia has the right to file a protest note to the Nicaragua government protesting the violation of its sovereignty.
The commander of the Colombian navy, Admiral Guillermo Barrera, said that his country was in communication with Nicaragua to clarify the facts of the ship’s detention.
There is a long-running dispute between Colombia and Nicaragua over maritime rights.