Nicaragua is studying the possibility of claiming more Caribbean territory at the expense of Colombia, newspaper El Espectador reported Saturday.
According to the newspaper, Nicaragua’s delegate before the International Court of Justice confirmed his government is studying whether it can claim more territory than was granted in December when 30,000 of formerly Colombian waters were granted to Nicaragua.
“The decision whether to claim, at what point to claim and everything else will be taken by the President [Daniel Ortega], but [to claim territory] is a right and is a right Nicaragua has,” said state official Carlos Arguello.
While Colombia was left without possibility to appeal the ICJ’s decision to grant its waters to Nicaragua, the Central American country does have the possibility to demand more territory that was not included in the initial claim, the official said.
Former Colombian minister Julio Londoño had earlier already warned about Nicaragua’s intentions to claim more territory.
MORE: Nicaragua wants more Colombia waters: Ex-minister
The world court ruling to remove territory from Colombia caused protests on the island of San Andres which lies close to the current border and whose approximately 500 fishermen claimed they had no longer access to their traditional fishing areas.
Borders before ruling
Borders after ruling
Sources
- Nicaragua estudia demandar a Colombia ante la CIJ para exigir más mar (El Espectador)
- December 2012 ruling on territorial dispute (PDF / International Court of Juliace)