BOGOTA: The Colombian government on the weekend sent a protest note to Caracas regarding the decree signed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on establishing the maritime border between the two nations, the foreign ministry in Bogota confirmed.
The official protest note was delivered on Saturday to Venezuela’s envoy to Colombia, Ivan Rincon Urdaneta, officials at the Colombian Foreign Ministry told Efe.
The Venezuelan government on May 27, published in its Official Gazette a new decree – No. 1787 for 2015 – ordering the creation of several Comprehensive Maritime and Insular Defense Operational Zones, which are intended as military operation zones and include waters in the Gulf of Venezuela where the boundary with Colombia has not yet been established.
According to local media, one of those zones is located in a part of the Caribbean where Colombia and Venezuela are in disagreement over the maritime boundary.
Colombia and Venezuela share a common border more than 2,200 km (1,364 mi.) in length.
Opposition Sen. Jimmy Chamorro, who serves on the congressional International Relations Committee, told Caracol radio that the chamber “categorically (rejected) this arbitrary, irresponsible and completely populist action by President Maduro.”
An 2012 International Court of Justice ruling required Colombia to cede to Nicaragua a portion of ocean territory east of the 82nd meridian comprising at least 75,000 square km (28,830 square miles).
Bogota has claimed since then that the ruling is “inapplicable” because the borders of the country may only be modified by international treaties approved by its congress, which has not been done in that case.
