- The United States already confiscated a first plane used by Maduro on September 2 | Photo: EFE/Orlando Barría
Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, assured on Friday, September 6, that he has no further legal notification of another aircraft belonging to the Venezuelan government.
The Dominican Republic recently handed over to the United States an official plane belonging to Nicolás Maduro that had been in the country since last May for maintenance, which Washington claimed as part of the sanctions applied to Caracas.
In this regard, the Secretary of State of the United States, Anthony Blinken, warned in this same press conference with Abinader that they will act if sanctions are violated.
“If we find that there have been violations, we will act, that is what we did and that is what we will continue to do (…) We have enforced our sanctions and we will continue to do so,” he added.
On the other hand, Abinader also responded to a question about the warnings made by the Minister of the Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello, that, after the delivery of the plane, he will catch it “on the low side” in reference to oil.
“We don’t have oil, but our economy is bigger than Venezuela’s, so we will continue to defend democratic principles, now in government and for as long as we live,” he stressed.
The United States confiscated a plane used by Maduro in the Dominican Republic
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On September 2, the US State Department reported that seized the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraftused by Nicolás Maduro and his representatives.
The aircraft was seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to the Southern District of Florida at the request of the United States based on violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said the plane was purchased illegally for $13 million “through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies,” a statement said. use from the Department of Justice.
“Since May 2023, the Dassault Falcon, registered T7-ESPRT, has flown almost exclusively to and from a military base in Venezuela and has been used for the benefit of Maduro and his representatives, including to transport Maduro on visits to other countries,” the text continues.
The Justice Department said it is pursuing those who “violate” U.S. sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using U.S. resources to “undermine” U.S. national security.
Confiscations and sanctions
Over the years, the U.S. government has seized dozens of luxury vehicles and other assets headed to Venezuela, but never a vehicle of such significance and symbolism.
“The seizure of this aircraft is another significant action by Homeland Security Investigations working with our domestic and international partners to target the Maduro regime’s illegal activities,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Anthony Salisbury.
In April 2024, the United States partially reversed sanctions relief on Venezuelan oil and gas, accusing Maduro of failing to meet his electoral commitments by disqualifying opposition candidate María Corina Machado.
Since the Venezuelan elections on July 28, the United States has been highly critical of the Maduro government.
With information from EFE
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2024-09-07 09:42:56
The United States Confiscates a Plane Used by Maduro in the Dominican Republic
The United States Confiscates a Plane Used by Maduro in the Dominican Republic
In a recent development, the United States has confiscated a plane used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, citing violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws. The Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft was seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to the Southern District of Florida on September 2.
According to reports, the aircraft was purchased illegally for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of Florida [[1]] [[2]] [[3]]. The U.S. Justice Department alleged that the plane was used by Maduro and his representatives, violating U.S. sanctions imposed on Venezuela.
This development comes after the Dominican Republic handed over the plane to the United States, which had been in the country for maintenance since May. The Dominican Republic President, Luis Abinader, assured that there was no further legal notification of another aircraft belonging to the Venezuelan government [[4]].
The U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, warned that the U.S. will take action if sanctions are violated. “If we find that there have been violations, we will act, that is what we did and that is what we will continue to do … We have enforced our sanctions and we will continue to do so,” he stated [[4]].
This move is seen as a significant step by the U.S. to enforce its sanctions on Venezuela, which have been in place since 2019. The U.S. has been critical of Maduro’s government, accusing it of human rights abuses and corruption.
In response to the confiscation of the plane, Maduro’s government has faced criticism from the international community. The Dominican Republic President, Luis Abinader, responded to a question about warnings made by the Venezuelan Minister of the Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello, that he will catch it “on the low side” in reference to oil, saying “We don’t have oil, but our economy is bigger than Venezuela’s, so we will continue to defend democratic principles, now in government and for as long as we live” [[4]].
The confiscation of the plane is a significant development in the ongoing efforts by the U.S. to pressure Maduro’s government to comply with international law and respect human rights. It remains to be seen how this development will impact relations between the U.S. and Venezuela, but it is clear that the U.S. is committed to enforcing its sanctions and promoting democracy in the region.
References:
[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/09/02/maduro-aircraft-venezuela-seized-biden-administration/
[2] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-seizes-venezuelan-president
