Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Samuel Santos traveled to New York City yesterday to present U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with a letter of protest over Colombia's alleged expansionism into waters disputed with Nicaragua. In the letter, the Nicaraguan government also reasserted its right to defend its sovereignty.
The move continues a long-running maritime dispute in which both countries are making claim to an area at the 82nd Meridian, including several keys in Caribbean waters.
Nicaragua elevated the rhetorical war with Colombia this week by accusing the South American country of violating International Law, attempting to expand its maritime borders into Nicaraguan waters, and for being a militarily occupied colony of the United States.
President Daniel Ortega reiterated that Nicaragua will defend its sovereignty and protect its fishermen on the high seas. He called on the Central American nations to unite with Nicaragua against what he called expansionist ambitions.
“In this battle we Central Americans need to unite against the expansionist attitude not of the Colombian people, but of the Colombian oligarchy, which is subject to the interests of the big transnationals and the interests of the empire,” Ortega said during a speech last Friday. “ Colombia is a country that is occupied militarily by the United States.”
Colombia has responded to Ortega's criticisms by denying it is an aggressor nation and expressed concerns over the Nicaraguan president's comments.
Read Friday's print or digital edition of The Nica Times, an eight-page publication of The Tico Times, for more on this story. |
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