By The United States has seized an airplane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the Dominican Republic, marking a significant escalation in its efforts to enforce sanctions and combat alleged corruption within the Venezuelan government. U.S. officials confirmed on Monday that the aircraft, described as Venezuela’s equivalent to Air Force One, has been flown to Florida.
Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Justice Department seized the aircraft, alleging it was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Maduro and his associates. The plane, a Dassault Falcon 900EX, was reportedly bought from a Florida company and illegally exported to Venezuela via the Caribbean in April 2023.
U.S. authorities claim the aircraft has been used almost exclusively for flights to and from a military base in Venezuela and for Maduro’s international travel. The seizure involved multiple federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Industry and Security, and the Justice Department.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized the unprecedented nature of the action, stating, “Seizing the foreign head of state’s plane is unheard-of for criminal matters. We’re sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions.”
The seizure comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Venezuela. The U.S. has long sought to disrupt the flow of billions of dollars to the Maduro regime, with Homeland Security Investigations seizing numerous luxury assets heading to Venezuela in recent years.
This action follows the U.S. reimposition of sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gas sector earlier this year, citing the Maduro government’s failure to allow a fair and competitive election. The U.S. Department of Justice had previously charged Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and corruption in March 2020.
The situation in Venezuela has had significant implications for U.S. politics, with millions of Venezuelans fleeing the country, many seeking refuge at the U.S.-Mexico border. Poor economic conditions, food shortages, and limited access to healthcare have pushed over 7.7 million people to leave Venezuela, marking the largest displacement in the Western Hemisphere.
As the legal process unfolds, U.S. officials plan to pursue forfeiture of the aircraft, allowing the Venezuelan government an opportunity to petition for its return. The seizure is expected to further strain diplomatic relations between the two countries and may have broader implications for international law and diplomatic immunity.
The Venezuelan government has not yet commented on the seizure. As tensions escalate, the international community watches closely to see how this unprecedented action will impact U.S.-Venezuela relations and broader geopolitical dynamics in the region.
Source: CNN
