Rita Odafe
The United States has confiscated a plane owned by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, alleging that it was unlawfully purchased for $13m (£9.8m) and smuggled out of Venezuela.
The US Justice Department reported that the Falcon 900EX aircraft was taken in the Dominican Republic before being transported to Florida.
The circumstances surrounding how the plane arrived in the Dominican Republic remain unclear. Flight data indicated its departure from La Isabela airport near Santo Domingo and subsequent arrival at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida.
Venezuela condemned the seizure, labeling it as an act of “piracy.” Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the US for imposing unilateral and unlawful measures globally.
An investigation revealed that individuals associated with President Maduro purportedly utilized a shell company based in the Caribbean to conceal their role in the illicit purchase of the plane from a Florida-based company between late 2022 and early 2023.
Subsequently, the aircraft was illegally transported from the US to Venezuela via the Caribbean in April 2023.
Despite US officials citing sanctions violations regarding the plane’s sale and export, President Maduro has consistently accused the US of interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
A spokesperson from the White House national security council stated that the move signifies a significant measure to hold Maduro accountable for his governance of Venezuela.
