The United States has seized an aircraft belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, citing violations of US sanctions and other criminal concerns. According to two US officials, the plane was flown to Florida on Monday after being seized in the Dominican Republic.
This marks the latest development in the strained relations between the US and Venezuela, with the seizure of the plane—a jet often likened to Venezuela’s version of Air Force One—viewed as a significant escalation. The aircraft had been used by Maduro during state visits worldwide.
“This sends a message all the way up to the top,” one US official told CNN, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of seizing a foreign head of state’s plane. “We’re sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is above the reach of US sanctions.”
The seizure comes as US authorities continue investigations into corruption within the Venezuelan government. US officials have long sought to disrupt financial support for Maduro’s regime, seizing luxury assets and other resources flowing to Venezuela. Homeland Security Investigations, one of the agencies involved, has been active in these efforts.
The $13 million plane had been stationed in the Dominican Republic in recent months, presenting an opportunity for US authorities to act. Several US federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Justice, coordinated the operation with Dominican authorities, who informed Venezuela of the seizure.
As the aircraft arrives in the US, federal officials will begin the forfeiture process, giving the Venezuelan government a chance to contest the seizure.
This move comes amidst heightened political pressure on Venezuela. Earlier this year, the US reinstated sanctions on the country’s oil and gas sectors, citing concerns over the fairness of Venezuela’s presidential elections under Maduro. After Maduro’s controversial reelection in July, Venezuela retaliated by suspending commercial flights to and from the Dominican Republic.
