The US seizes the plane of the president of Venezuela

2024-09-02 22:45:06, Kosova & Bota CNA

The United States has seized a plane used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. US authorities have sent the plane from the Dominican Republic to Florida after determining its purchase violated US sanctions, the Justice Department said Monday.

The seizure of the plane came as pressure has mounted on President Maduro, both at home and abroad, over the July 28 election, which he claims to have won. But the opposition in Venezuela says the election was won by its candidate. President Maduro, his associates and the oil sector in the OPEC member state are under US sanctions. The way he handled the election has raised the possibility that further measures could be imposed.

United States Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of US territory "for use by Nicolás Maduro and his friends".

"This seizure sends a clear message: aircraft purchased illegally by the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot be used," said Matthew Axelrod, the US Commerce Department's Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement.

US officials said the seizure, which was first reported by the US network CNN, was carried out in close cooperation with the Dominican Republic.

Venezuela's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"This is an important step to ensure that Maduro will continue to feel the consequences of his misrule of Venezuela," said a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.

A wide range of independent sources have shown that President Maduro and his representatives "manipulated the results of the July 28 presidential election, falsely claimed victory and carried out widespread repression to maintain power by force," it added. further the spokesperson.

A Justice Department investigation found that in late 2022 and early 2023, “persons associated with Mr. Maduro allegedly used a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement in the illegal purchase of the Dassault plane.” Falcon 900EX".

Last year, the plane was illegally exported from the United States to Venezuela, via the Caribbean, and has since been used "for the purposes of Maduro and his representatives, including for his visits to other countries," the Justice Department said. ./ VOA