US confiscated Maduro's plane in Dominican Republic - CNN
Photo: Nicolás Maduro (Getty Images)
The United States has seized the plane of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. It was found that the aircraft was purchased in violation of American sanctions, reports CNN.
According to CNN, US officials have confirmed that on Monday, the plane was transported to Florida. This move could heighten tensions between the US and Venezuela as the US continues to investigate what it considers corrupt activities by the Venezuelan government.
The seized plane is reported to be the Venezuelan equivalent of Air Force One and has frequently appeared in photographs during President Maduro’s state visits around the world.
“This sends a message all the way up to the top,” one of the US officials told CNN. “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,” an American official told CNN.
US - Venezuela relations
The deterioration of relations between the US and Venezuela began during Hugo Chávez’s presidency (1999–2013), with Chávez, a leftist leader, opposing US policies. After his death, Nicolás Maduro continued the anti-American rhetoric.
The US has imposed several sanctions on Venezuela, including:
- Financial sanctions: Prohibiting transactions with Venezuelan state enterprises, including state oil companies like PDVSA, restricting Venezuela's access to international financial markets.
- Economic sanctions: Freezing Venezuelan government assets in the U.S. and banning the import of Venezuelan oil into the U.S.
- Individual sanctions: Freezing assets and banning entry to the U.S. for specific Venezuelan officials involved in corruption or human rights violations.
- Sanctions on foreign companies: Restricting companies with business interests in Venezuela or dealing with Venezuelan state enterprises, particularly in the energy sector.
In late July this year, Venezuela held presidential elections. According to official reports, President Nicolás Maduro won re-election. However, the opposition claimed election fraud, leading to widespread protests. Both the US and the EU have not recognized the election results.
US President Joe Biden and Brazilian President Lula da Silva have urged the Venezuelan government to release detailed voting data from the presidential elections.
At the same time, the United States is seeking to offer Maduro an amnesty deal in exchange for relinquishing power.
