The US Navy on Wednesday deployed a warship off the coast of
Venezuela to challenge what it called Caracas' "excessive maritime claim in international waters." It was the second time in three weeks that the US Navy has carried out such a "freedom of navigation" operation, a move that Venezuela previously called a "provocation." "Today, the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided
missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) challenged Venezuela's excessive maritime claim in international waters during a successful freedom of navigation operation in the Caribbean Sea," US Southern Command said in a statement.