In an unprecedented move, the US Justice Department seized a luxury jet allegedly owned and used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing his associates of illicitly purchasing and smuggling the aircraft out of the United States.
The Falcon 900EX aircraft, worth $13 million, was seized by authorities in the Dominican Republic and transported to Florida. According to reports, the plane flew from the La Isabela airport in the Dominican Republic to Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida on Monday.
The Justice Department stated that its investigation uncovered evidence of a Caribbean-based shell company used to obscure the involvement of Maduro and his associates in the illegal purchase of the aircraft from a Florida-based company in late 2022 and early 2023.
The aircraft was then smuggled from the US to Venezuela through the Caribbean in April 2023, in violation of US export control and sanctions laws.
This incident comes amidst rising tensions between the US and Venezuela, with the US accusing Maduro’s government of human rights violations and election fraud, while the Venezuelan president has repeatedly denounced US intervention in his country’s internal affairs.
Following the seizure of the plane, the US White House National Security Council issued a statement emphasizing the importance of continuing to hold Maduro accountable for his mismanagement of Venezuela.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, praised the Dominican Republic for their crucial assistance in the operation, while the Commerce Department’s Matthew S Axelrod emphasized the unwavering commitment of US authorities to identify and retrieve any illegally smuggled aircraft.
Tracking data indicated that the jet was frequently flown to and from a military base in Venezuela, and reportedly utilized by Maduro during visits to other countries.
The seizure of Maduro’s alleged jet comes at a time of mounting international pressure on his administration, with multiple countries refusing to recognize his government’s legitimacy and imposing economic sanctions.
The Venezuelan government, in response, took the controversial step of temporarily suspending commercial flights to the Dominican Republic and Panama, further straining relations with the international community.
As the saga unfolds, it remains to be seen how the Maduro administration will respond to the latest turn of events, and whether this will escalate tensions or perhaps offer an opening for dialogue to address the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
References and Citations:
- BBC News – US seizes Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s Plane