The United States seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX private jet valued at $13 million, which was allegedly used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his government officials. The seizure took place in the Dominican Republic, and the aircraft was subsequently flown to Florida.
The U.S. government accused Maduro's affiliates of using a shell company to illegally purchase and export the jet from the United States, violating sanctions and export controls. The aircraft had been flying almost exclusively to and from a military base in Venezuela since May 2023.
President Maduro condemned the seizure as an act of "piracy" orchestrated by U.S. authorities, while the U.S. claimed it was due to sanctions violations against Maduro's regime, which it accuses of corruption and economic mismanagement. Maduro was not on board the seized aircraft.
The U.S. has imposed extensive sanctions on Maduro's government and recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the rightful president, alleging that Maduro falsified the results of the July presidential election. The Biden administration believes the election was not free and fair.
The situation in Venezuela has caused millions of migrants to flee to the U.S.-Mexico border, with 7.7 million people having fled Venezuela since 2014, according to U.S. officials who accuse the Maduro regime of exploiting the Venezuelan people for personal gain.
The U.S. has seized other luxury vehicles bound for Venezuela and doubts the validity of Maduro's reelection, recognizing his opponent, Edmundo González, as the winner instead.
The Department of Commerce and Department of Homeland Security are investigating the case, and the Venezuelan government can petition the plane's seizure. The State Department has also offered a reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: CBS News, Axios, Reuters, Newsweek, The Washington Times, The Guardian, BBC, The Independent, USA Today, CNN, Sky News, ABC News, New York Post, South China Morning Post, Barron's, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera, France 24, Daily Mail, NBC Chicago.