El desenlace del litigio con Nicaragua sobre la plataforma continental exterior o extendida: algunas reflexiones
Keywords:
Colombia versus Nicaragua, Corte Internacional de Justicia, Derecho Internacional Consuetudinario, Jurisdicción Marítima, Plataforma Continental Exterior o Extendida, Procedimiento en Litigios ante la CIJ, Procesos Contenciosos, Titularidad y DelimitaciónAbstract
Con la sentencia de la Corte Internacional de Justicia (CIJ) del 13 de julio de 2023 concluyeron dos décadas de litigio entre Colombia y Nicaragua por cuestiones relacionadas con su jurisdicción marítima en el mar Caribe. Colombia obtuvo una rotunda victoria al lograr que la CIJ se concentrara en la cuestión de la titularidad y no en la delimitación y, sobre esa base, desestimara todas las pretensiones de Nicaragua sobre áreas de plataforma continental exterior o extendida, es decir, aquellas situadas más allá de las 200 millas náuticas desde su costa. En esta nota se explica el alcance de lo que resolvió la CIJ y el proceso de análisis que condujo al tribunal a tomar esa decisión, con base en la forma como las partes en el caso plantearon sus respectivas posiciones durante el litigio. Se resaltan los aportes que la decisión ha hecho al desarrollo del derecho internacional en tres campos: el procedimiento en litigios ante la CIJ, la prueba de la existencia de la costumbre internacional, y la extensión precisa de la plataforma continental exterior o extendida a la luz del derecho internacional consuetudinario.
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