“The actions of the US seriously undermine peace and security of the region, seriously infringe upon the security, sovereignty, and legitimate rights and interests of other countries, [and] seriously violate international law,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

This comes shortly after the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounced what it described as an illegal and hostile provocation by the United States, after a US Navy destroyer forcibly boarded a Venezuelan fishing vessel operating in the nation’s territorial waters.

According to an official statement on Saturday, the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), armed with cruise missiles and carrying highly trained Marines, intercepted the tuna boat Carmen Rosa on Friday, 48 nautical miles northeast of La Blanquilla Island within Venezuela’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Eighteen armed personnel reportedly occupied the vessel for eight hours, cutting communications and obstructing the work of nine fishermen engaged in authorized tuna fishing.

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces said they tracked the incident minute by minute with naval, aerial, and surveillance assets, ensuring the crew’s safety and demonstrating Venezuela’s capacity to defend its sovereignty.