Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane has been seized by the United States after it was determined that its acquisition violated various US sanctions along with other criminal issues. The aircraft was later flown to Florida, according to two US officials. The United States of America and Venezuela do not share very warm relationship and hence the seizure of the aircraft goes on to demonstrate the fact the US is investigating matters which according to it is corrupt.
The aircraft that the US is flying back to Florida is being described as Venezuela’s equivalent to Air Force One by the officials. It has also been pictured during previous state visits by Maduro around the world.
‘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’, said an US official ass quoted by media reports.
‘The Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies.’, said Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The Justice Department said that the plane was illegally exported in April 2023 from the United States to Venezuela and was purchased from a company in Florida. The plane was exported through the Caribbean. Dassault Falcon 900EX, the plane seized by the US in Dominican republic has since been used to fly from a military base in Venezuela, added the Justice Department.
‘The plane was seized in violation of US sanctions with Venezuela and other criminal matters that we’re still looking at regarding this aircraft’ said Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations as quoted by various media reports.
Prior to the seizure of the Dassault Falcon 900EX, the States had reimposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gas sector earlier this year
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