The US government has seized an airplane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to an exclusive report by CNN.
A Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft was seized in the Dominican Republic and flown to Florida on Monday. The seizure is the latest development in a long-standing feud between the US and Venezuela.
The US has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's government, and Maduro's administration has been accused of corruption and human rights abuses. The airplane's seizure is seen as a significant move by the US to enforce its sanctions and target Maduro's regime.
The US has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's government, including its oil and gas sector, in response to Maduro's failure to allow "an inclusive and competitive election" to take place. The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flow of billions of dollars to the regime. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has seized dozens of luxury vehicles, among other assets, heading to Venezuela.
The Venezuelan government has been accused of corruption, with officials allegedly using the country's resources for personal gain. The US Department of Justice charged Maduro and 14 current and former Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and corruption in March 2020.
The State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction.
The airplane was seized in the Dominican Republic, where it was undergoing maintenance. The Dominican Republic's President, Luis Abinader, said the plane was not registered under the name of the Venezuelan government but rather under "the name of an individual."
Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic Roberto Álvarez said the country's Attorney General's Office received an order last May from a national court to "immobilize" the plane.
The US had requested the plane be immobilized so they could search it for "evidence and objects linked to fraud activities, smuggling of goods for illicit activities and money laundering." The plane was purchased from a company in Florida and was illegally exported to Venezuela through the Caribbean.
One of the US officials said:
This sends a message all the way up to the top. 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 US sanctions.
The Venezuelan government has described the seizure as "piracy" and accused the US of escalating "aggression" toward Maduro's government. The government said the US is using its economic and military power to intimidate and pressure states such as the Dominican Republic to serve as accomplices in its criminal acts.
The Venezuelan government has also accused the US of trying to destabilize the country and undermine its sovereignty. The government has said it will take all necessary measures to protect its interests and defend its sovereignty.
The US government has seized an airplane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, marking a significant move to enforce its sanctions and target Maduro's regime. The seizure is the latest development in a long-standing feud between the US and Venezuela, with the US imposing sanctions on Venezuela's government and Maduro's administration accused of corruption and human rights abuses. The Venezuelan government has described the seizure as "piracy" and accused the US of escalating "aggression" toward Maduro's government.
