The United States has seized an aircraft belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, citing breaches of US sanctions and criminal concerns regarding its acquisition, according to CNN.
The plane, a Dassault Falcon 900 valued at around $13 million, was transported to Florida on Monday, as reported by two US officials. The seizure represents a significant escalation in US-Venezuela relations, with the US probing alleged corrupt practices by the Venezuelan government.
“This sends a message all the way to the top,” one US official told CNN. “Seizing the plane of a foreign head of state over criminal matters is unprecedented. We are underscoring that no one is above the law or beyond the reach of US sanctions.”
The aircraft, often referred to as Venezuela’s version of Air Force One, had been in the Dominican Republic in recent months. While officials did not disclose the reason for its presence there, it provided a window for the seizure.
The operation involved several federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, Commerce agents, the Bureau of Industry and Security, and the Justice Department.
